Runes and Germanic Linguistics (Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs, 140)

The older runic inscriptions (c. AD150-450) represent the earliest attestation of any Germanic language. The close relationship of these inscriptions to the archaic Mediterranean writing traditions is demonstrated through the linguistic and orthographic analysis presented here. The importance of these inscriptions for a proper understanding of the prehistory and early history of modern Germanic languages, including English, becomes clear once the accumulation of unfounded claims of older mythological and cultic studies is cleared away.