Runes and Knotwork: Part 1

To the average person, the subject of "the runes" or "runestones" conjures up an image of Vikings or Norsemen. Their alphabet. To that same person, the sight of "knotwork" designs and symbols would immediately conjure up an image of Irish culture or the Celts. The truth is that the runes originated earlier in Etruria; and the knotwork originated in Cisalpine Gaul.

The Celts actually originated in what today is basically southern Germany: The Hallstatt culture. From there, they spread far and wide. It's not entirely clear if it developed as more of an "ethnic group" or more of "a culture." Some accounts, from Roman and Greek historians, describe them as being very tall and light haired, while other accounts show them as not being particularly tall, and brunette. One thing is clear: There were people described as Celts living in Cisalpine Gaul long before there were people described as Celts living in the British Isles. There is also clear archeological evidence that clear Celtic artifacts were brought into the British Isles from Gaul (art, symbols, chariots, brass pottery, etc.).

In other words, the style came from Gaul, and to get back on subject: The current evidence shows that the knotwork symbols were Cisalpine Gaulic in origin. What are we trying to do? We're trying to get to the truth. I have discovered that there is no evidence of any Druidic culture in the Cisalpine region, so we have to keep moving toward the truth. Perhaps the people in that region were more inclined to maintain a more clearly defined Cernic spirituality, rather than a Druidic priesthood? Other than that, they shared so much in common with Gaul.

The evidence for an Etruscan origin of the runes is even stronger, as we will see. It's not entirely clear as to why the alphabet was adopted by Norse people rather than by Gauls, ancient Slavs, or others. Of course, there are some who would say that the runes are much more than an alphabet, but have magical powers. It is clear that the earliest Romans were more of a political movement than anything else. They demolished everything Etruscan to the point where they get the credit for technology and creativity that did not originate with them. The runes was one of the casualties of this movement. As I have stated before, and will again and again: There is incredible irony in that the flag of the Langobards had a Odal Rune in the middle of it. If we are not going to set the record straight about the runes and knotwork, then who is?