Maturus Fecit – Unwod Made

Runic Inscriptions on Fibulae in the Late Roman Iron Age

Abstract

This paper is an analysis of runic inscriptions on Late Roman Iron Age fibulae. When discussing the meaning and function of the inscriptions, it is suggested that we use a contextual approach referring to the Roman use of writing instead of discussing the function on the basis of each individual inscription, especially when the fibulae are very alike. It is concluded that the fibulae inscriptions are most likely craftsman's inscriptions added to the fibula as a kind of quality mark, just as is the case on much of the military equipment from the same period and fibulae from the Roman Empire. Finally, the tradition of writing in the Late Roman Iron Age is discussed in a broader perspective, including other inscriptions from the period.