Runic stone for Thyra 10th C. CE

April 25, 2020

Runic stone for Thyra 10th C. CE

"On the small Jelling runestone we can read: "kurmr kunukr karthi kubl thusi aft thurui kunu sina tanmarkar but", which in English says: "Gorm king made this monument after Thyra his wife Denmark's bod".

It was originally the historian Erik Arup, who first translated Thyra's epithet "tanmarkar but" into the "adornment of Denmark". It was certainly inspired by Sven Aggesen, who called her Decus Datie (Denmark's ornamental) or Regni Decus (kingdom's ornamental). But later detailed studies of Scandinavian dialects have failed to demonstrate that "but" or "bod" should mean ornamental. By all accounts "bod" means refurbishment, replacement, improvement or recovery. This meaning can still be found in the term "bøde garn" (prepare/repair fishing nets)."

-taken from dandebat.dk link below