Ein Kamm mit Runeninschrift aus Frienstedt (Stadt Erfurt)

Abstract

A comb with runic inscription from Frienstedt (Stadt Erfurt)

Already in 2000 an antler comb was discovered at a site at Erfurt-Frienstedt consisting of a settlement with attested bronze working, a grave group and probably a cult place. However, it was not until recently that a runic inscription was identified on the comb which is likely to have been placed in a shaft intentionally. The inscription Ka(m)ba (»comb«) belongs to a small group of inscriptions labelling an object. The ending -a suggests an affinity to the West-Germanic language area. The find context dates comb and inscription to the phase C2 of the younger Roman Empire. Together with another possibly West-Germanic inscription from Danish Illerup it is therefore the oldest certain evidence of the West-Germanic language. This contribution further discusses the function of inscriptions labelling objects, the meaning of combs in addition to their mere functionality and the chronology of triangular three-layer combs.