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Gentleman's Magazine 1742 p.369
Cross was fixed, which has been demolished long ago, by
popular Frenzy and Enthusiasm; and probably its Situation in
these unfrequented Desarts has preserved the Remainder from
their Fury.
In the Bottom and Top Divisions, of the North Side,
(see p.318) are cut Vine-Trees with Clusters of
Grapes in Demi-relievo, probably the Danish Symbol of
Fertility, as Amathea's Horn was amongst the
Greeks.
In a Fillet above the under Vine are these Characters fairly
legible,
which the learned Bishop Nicolson expounds RYNBURU,
and thinks that it intimates the Expulsion of the magical
Runae, and their Accession to Christianity. But if I
may be allowed to dissent from so great a Name, I had rather
believe it to be a Sepulchral Monument of one of the
Danish Kings slain in Battle, and the Reading I think
will support my Conjecture.
For there is no Instance of any Nation using the 1st
Character for an R, nor do I remember to have seen it so
explained in all the numerous Runic Alphabets of
Olaus Wormius, but the Danes about the
Sinus Codanus, made Use of it for K. Besides the R is
Roman wherever it occurs, in this and other
Inscriptions on this Monument. The 2d is the
Massagetic U a People about the Tanais. The
next two Letters are wrong copy'd by the Bishop, the first
is a Q, or Scythian N, the other an I; the 4
following are BURU plain; and the last is K Final, for the
Initial and Final K differing in their Form was common in
those Nations, as the Initial and Final M to the
Hebrews. Upon the whole I read it KUNIBURUK, which in
the old Danish Language imports Sepulchrum
Regis. And the checquer Work included betwixt the two
magical Knots (the Scythian Method of embellishing
Funeral Monuments) very much corroborates my Opinion.
However I so far agree with the Bp that it may also seem to
have been designed for a standing Mounument of Conversion to
Christianity, which might have happen'd on the Loss of their
King, and each mutually celebrated by it.
For Buchanan tells us, that in the Reign of
Donaldus (the Sixth of that Name) the Danes
having wasted Northumberland, were met and engag'd by
the united Troops of England and Scotland,
with such Uncertainty of Victory, that both Sides were
equally glad of Peace, by which the Danes obliged
themselves to embrace Christianity. This, therefore, was a
very proper Monument for so great a Change; and the Figure
on the West Side greatly contributes to favour this
Conjecture, as I shall shew in my next Dissertation on the
other three other Sides. This Transaction happened about 850
Years ago, and none believe the Obelisk to be older then
900.
That the Monument is Danish appears incontestable
from the Characters; Scottish and Pictish
Monuments having nothing but Hieroglyphick's, and the
Danish both; and, excepting Bride Kirk Font,
it appears to be the only Monument of that Nation left in
Britain. SIR,.
Your very humble Servant,
GEO. SMITH.
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