Szarvas inscription
Encyclopedia
A bone needle case near Szarvas
has an inscription from the second half of the 8th century. This belongs to the Late Avar Period (700-791).
named this script as "Kárpát-medencei rovásírás", which means: Carpathian Basin Rovas script according to the standard proposal of the Hungarian Standards Institution. He many times used this term in his cited book, e.g. in the page 231, the title of the chapter is "A kárpát-medencei rovásábécé korabeli feljegyzése" that means: The contemporary record of the Carpathian Basin runic alphabet.
He analysed the similarities and the differences between the Old Hungarian and the Carpathian Basin scripts in the page 154 of his book.
In the page 232, Vékony wrote: "- Aethicus Ister jelei azonosak az egykori Kárpát-medencei rovásírás jeleivel.", it means: The symbols of Aethicus Ister are identical to the symbols of the quondam Carpathian Basin script.
Another quotation from Vékony: "E jel a Szarvason azonosított Kárpát-medencei f alig torzult megfelelője...", it means: This symbol is identical to the Carpathian Basin f identified in Szarvas. In this sentence, the word Szarvas unambiguously refers to the "Szarvas inscription" (Szarvas
is a city in Hungary).
In page 233, Vékony wrote: "Erre utalhat az is, hogy ez a betűalak levezethető egy párthus alep formából. Feltehető tehát ennek a jelnek a megléte a Kárpát-medencei rovásírásban is (a székelybe is innen származhatott).", which means: This could imply also that this glyph can be derived from the Parthian Aleph form. Consequently, the existence of this symbol can be supposed in the Carpathian Basin script as well (it could originate from this to the Székely).. Here the 'Szekely' refers to the Szekely-Hungarian script better known as Old Hungarian script
. This quotation is interesting, since it proves that Vékony supposed that the Carpathian Basin script is thought by some to be one of the ancestors of the Old Hungarian script.
was improved by linguist E. Zelliger. The last character of the fourth row of the inscription was reconstructed by archaeologist-historian Vékony
. The inscription was written with Carpathian Basin script.
Note that the consonants in squared brackets are the reconstruction of Vékony. Also, there are some parts, which are not readable because of the edges of the bone needle case are worn. Therefore, the top and bottom edges of some characters are not clearly visible.
The following transcription is the result of Assoc. Prof. G. Vékony
.
In the inscription, the third symbol of the third row (from left) can be considered as the descendant of the Turkic ideograms. Nevertheless, their relation needs more evidence.
and historian, András Róna-Tas
. The debates were summarized by István Riba in 1999 and 2000: "many find themselves unable to accept Vékony’s theory".
The key point of the critics was that traditionally, in the Hungarian science, the existence of the Hungarian-speaking population is supposed from 896 (Land-taking of the Magyars). The Szarvas relic is from the 8th century. Consequently, the Szarvas cannot be in Hungarian or the Hungarians were in the Carpathian Basin earlier than 896. Archaeologist-historian Gábor Vékony
supposed that the Hungarians appeared even in the 7th century, and he handled the Szarvas relic as an evidence: he read it in Hungarian.
Turkologist András Róna-Tas
had an attempt to read the Szarvas relic in Turkic, but he wrote that his transcription needs more improvement.
The discussion about the period of the appearance of the Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin is between the groups of officially acknowledged scholars and it has not been concluded.
was written with Khazarian Rovas script. The both are related to the Szekely-Hungarian Rovas
script.
Szarvas
----Szarvas is a town in Békés county in southeastern Hungary. The Hungarian placename Szarvas means 'deer' in English.- History :...
has an inscription from the second half of the 8th century. This belongs to the Late Avar Period (700-791).
The photo and the drawing of the inscription
Fig. presents the drawing of the inscription made by I. Erdélyi historian-archaeologist in 1984. The edges of the bone needle case are worn; therefore the top and bottom edges of a part of the characters are not clearly visible.The name of the script of the Szarvas inscription
VékonyGábor Vékony
Gábor Vékony was a Hungarian historian, archaeologist and linguist, associate professor at ELTE, Candidate of Sciences in Historiy. He was an expert of the rovás scripts and a researcher of Hungarian prehistory....
named this script as "Kárpát-medencei rovásírás", which means: Carpathian Basin Rovas script according to the standard proposal of the Hungarian Standards Institution. He many times used this term in his cited book, e.g. in the page 231, the title of the chapter is "A kárpát-medencei rovásábécé korabeli feljegyzése" that means: The contemporary record of the Carpathian Basin runic alphabet.
He analysed the similarities and the differences between the Old Hungarian and the Carpathian Basin scripts in the page 154 of his book.
In the page 232, Vékony wrote: "- Aethicus Ister jelei azonosak az egykori Kárpát-medencei rovásírás jeleivel.", it means: The symbols of Aethicus Ister are identical to the symbols of the quondam Carpathian Basin script.
Another quotation from Vékony: "E jel a Szarvason azonosított Kárpát-medencei f alig torzult megfelelője...", it means: This symbol is identical to the Carpathian Basin f identified in Szarvas. In this sentence, the word Szarvas unambiguously refers to the "Szarvas inscription" (Szarvas
Szarvas
----Szarvas is a town in Békés county in southeastern Hungary. The Hungarian placename Szarvas means 'deer' in English.- History :...
is a city in Hungary).
In page 233, Vékony wrote: "Erre utalhat az is, hogy ez a betűalak levezethető egy párthus alep formából. Feltehető tehát ennek a jelnek a megléte a Kárpát-medencei rovásírásban is (a székelybe is innen származhatott).", which means: This could imply also that this glyph can be derived from the Parthian Aleph form. Consequently, the existence of this symbol can be supposed in the Carpathian Basin script as well (it could originate from this to the Székely).. Here the 'Szekely' refers to the Szekely-Hungarian script better known as Old Hungarian script
Old Hungarian script
The Old Hungarian script is an alphabetic writing system used by the Hungarians before the Middle Ages...
. This quotation is interesting, since it proves that Vékony supposed that the Carpathian Basin script is thought by some to be one of the ancestors of the Old Hungarian script.
The meaning of the inscription
The transcription of archaeologist G. VékonyGábor Vékony
Gábor Vékony was a Hungarian historian, archaeologist and linguist, associate professor at ELTE, Candidate of Sciences in Historiy. He was an expert of the rovás scripts and a researcher of Hungarian prehistory....
was improved by linguist E. Zelliger. The last character of the fourth row of the inscription was reconstructed by archaeologist-historian Vékony
Gábor Vékony
Gábor Vékony was a Hungarian historian, archaeologist and linguist, associate professor at ELTE, Candidate of Sciences in Historiy. He was an expert of the rovás scripts and a researcher of Hungarian prehistory....
. The inscription was written with Carpathian Basin script.
Note that the consonants in squared brackets are the reconstruction of Vékony. Also, there are some parts, which are not readable because of the edges of the bone needle case are worn. Therefore, the top and bottom edges of some characters are not clearly visible.
The following transcription is the result of Assoc. Prof. G. Vékony
Gábor Vékony
Gábor Vékony was a Hungarian historian, archaeologist and linguist, associate professor at ELTE, Candidate of Sciences in Historiy. He was an expert of the rovás scripts and a researcher of Hungarian prehistory....
.
Transcription with IPA notation
| No. of row | Transcription (using IPA) | Translating from Ancient Hungarian |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | /yngyr : isnɛk im iʎ : βaʃu/ | |
| 2nd | /[t]iɣ teβɛdɣen : isen : tiɣ tiɣ sur bek βorɣ/ | |
| 3rd | /fɛʃɛs : ɛlei sɜl [...]/ | |
| 4th | /yngyr ne : adɣon : [ɜzdɣ] imesd eɣt ɛn : iʃtɛnɛ[m]/ |
In the inscription, the third symbol of the third row (from left) can be considered as the descendant of the Turkic ideograms. Nevertheless, their relation needs more evidence.
Transcription with Hungarian phonetic notation
| No. of row | Transcription (using Hungarian Hungarian language Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe.... phonetic notation) |
Translating from Ancient Hungarian (modern meaning) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | /üngür : isznek im ily : βasu/ | Here is an iron [needle] against demon Üngür; |
| 2nd | /[t]iɣ tëβedγën : iszën : tiɣ tiɣ szur bëk βorɣ/ | [Needle should be pricked into the demon; needle, needle, stab, poke, sew-[in]! |
| 3rd | /fesesz : elëi szɜl [...]/ | [Who] unstitches […]; |
| 4th | /üngür në : adɣon : [ɜzdɣ] imëszd ëɣt en : istene[m]/ | Üngür shall not give [curse]; […], blast him, my God!’' |
Critics, alternative theories
There are several critics of Vékony's theories and translations, most notably the Hungarian linguistLinguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
and historian, András Róna-Tas
András Róna-Tas
András Róna-Tas is a Hungarian historian and linguist. He was born in 1931 in Budapest. Róna-Tas studied under such preeminent professors as Gyula Ortutay, István Tálasi, Gyula Németh and Lajos Ligeti and received a degree in folklore and eastern linguistics In 1957 and 1958 he conducted...
. The debates were summarized by István Riba in 1999 and 2000: "many find themselves unable to accept Vékony’s theory".
The key point of the critics was that traditionally, in the Hungarian science, the existence of the Hungarian-speaking population is supposed from 896 (Land-taking of the Magyars). The Szarvas relic is from the 8th century. Consequently, the Szarvas cannot be in Hungarian or the Hungarians were in the Carpathian Basin earlier than 896. Archaeologist-historian Gábor Vékony
Gábor Vékony
Gábor Vékony was a Hungarian historian, archaeologist and linguist, associate professor at ELTE, Candidate of Sciences in Historiy. He was an expert of the rovás scripts and a researcher of Hungarian prehistory....
supposed that the Hungarians appeared even in the 7th century, and he handled the Szarvas relic as an evidence: he read it in Hungarian.
Turkologist András Róna-Tas
András Róna-Tas
András Róna-Tas is a Hungarian historian and linguist. He was born in 1931 in Budapest. Róna-Tas studied under such preeminent professors as Gyula Ortutay, István Tálasi, Gyula Németh and Lajos Ligeti and received a degree in folklore and eastern linguistics In 1957 and 1958 he conducted...
had an attempt to read the Szarvas relic in Turkic, but he wrote that his transcription needs more improvement.
The discussion about the period of the appearance of the Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin is between the groups of officially acknowledged scholars and it has not been concluded.
Other Rovas inscriptions
Oppositely to the Szarvas inscription, which was written in Carpathian Basin Rovas script, the Alsószentmihály inscriptionAlsószentmihály inscription
The inscription on a building stone was found in Mihai Viteazu, Cluj .- The relic :The stone was an ancient Roman building stone--proved by the leaf-symbol, a frequently applied ornamental element of ancient Roman inscriptions--reused in the 10th century...
was written with Khazarian Rovas script. The both are related to the Szekely-Hungarian Rovas
Old Hungarian script
The Old Hungarian script is an alphabetic writing system used by the Hungarians before the Middle Ages...
script.