ᚱᚨᚢᚾᛁᛃᚨᛉ

Proto-Norse

The Øvre Stabu spearhead

Etymology

ᚱᚨᚢᚾ (raun, “to test, to try”) +‎ -ᛃᚨᛉ (-jaʀ, “coming, descending, originating from”). The first element is probably related to Old Norse reyna (“to try, to prove”), (Icelandic reyna (“to try”), Faroese royna (“to experience”) and Swedish utröna (“find out”)). The suffix, -ᛃᚨᛉ (-jaʀ) is the same as in ᚺᛟᛚᛏᛁᛃᚨᛉ (holtijaʀ) (Golden Horns of Gallehus); since the root syllable, raun- is heavy, the suffix becomes -ijaz, in accordance with Siever's law.

Noun

ᚱᚨᚢᚾᛁᛃᚨᛉ (raunijaʀ)

1. tester
   • c. 175 AD, Øvre Stabu spearhead, found in Østre Toten, Norway:

     ᚱᚨᚢᚾᛁᛃᚨᛉ

     raunijaʀ

     Tester (the name of the spear)

Descendants

• Old Norse: reynir