538 EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



and had probably served as onuiiueuts in the temple of Jomale in Biir- 

 mali, a snggestion derived from certain Sagas of Ilerraud and de Bose. 

 He interprets the Kunic inscription as Celt-Iberian, and i)erliaps 

 Druidic. 



The second gentleman attributes these golden horns to a different 

 origin. He thinks he recognizes the gold of which they are made as 

 from Hungary, Transylvania, or perhaps the Crimea. The figures upon 

 them suggest to him the usage of tlie Vandals who combined the wor- 

 ship of Odin, Thor, and Friga, with that of their national gods. It is 

 agreed by both these gentlemen that the figures denote a barbarous 

 epoch so far in the past that, if they have any meaning at all, it is now 

 inexplicable beyond theory or suggestion. 



The last found horn (that of 1734), fig. 175, had a Eunic inscription 

 in the narrow band at its bell month. This inscription has been read, 

 reread, and guessed at, until it has received every kind of rendition. 

 The results of the i)rincipal attempts in this direction have been given 

 in extenso by Mr. C. C. Rafn.' 



W. F. Kopf, 1821, writes: "I am (both) a horn of the chase (hunts- 

 man's horn) and a drinking cup (dedicated) to the orgie (ceremony) of 

 Holte." 



According to Gisle Brynjulfsson, 1823: "I, Hlevus, have made these 

 two horns," or " Thorfln and Leif have made both these horns." 



Fin Magnusen, 1834, says: "I bring to the sacrifice the envelope of 

 the horn of Tovid." 



N. M. Petersen, 1837, gives: " I, Hlevo, have made the envelope of 

 this horn." 



According to Jacob H. Bredsdorff, 1838 : " I, Hleva, have made these 

 horns for my guests, the inhabitants of the forest (the Holsteinois)." 



Jacob Grimm, 1848, writes: " Holsatis, intimis hospitibus pocula 

 dedi." 



K. Mullenhoft", 1852, says: " I have made these horns for the Holz- 

 ingeu, or guardians of the forest." 



C. C. Rafn himself makes the following literal rendition: 



ECHLEV OG OSTIR HULTInGOR 

 HURNO TVO VIgl TJ 



which he translates into Danish as follows: 



Echlev ak Astir (Eyleife ok Astyr) Hyltingar tva (tvo) vigpu, which 

 in English is "The Holsteinois, Echlev and Astyr, have initiated (or 

 consecrated) these two horns." According to his examination of his- 

 tory as set forth in certain of the Sagas, Mr. Rafn concludes that Eglaf 

 or Eyleif was a chief of the southern Danes in Holstein about the fifth 

 century. 



Both golden horns were deposited in the Royal Cabinet of Curious 

 Objects. A thief, by the aid of false l^eys, broke into the cabinet May 



' Atliis ofthe Archieology of the North, published by the Royal Society, Copenhagen, 

 1860. 



