The origins of Hunnish Runic Writing (8) The types and number of characters

 

The types and number of characters

 

To decipher an unknown script the first step is to count the number of characters. Word-scripts have approximately 700-2000 characters, syllabic scripts 60-70, and alphabets 20-30. A writing system cannot be classified unequivocally into one type or another (e.g. Latin contains Q, syllabic sign). The number and composition of characters in a system of writing help identify its origin. Thomsen, who deciphered Turkish script, knew from the number of characters (38) that he was dealing with a writing system about half-way between pure alphabetic and syllabic script (Doblhofer/1962/305).

It is significant, that the character set described by Marsigli contains 38 runes, the "alphabet" of Nikolsburg 46, and the character set of Thelegdi 65 runes.

According to János Thelegdi Székelys have altogether 32 letters, among them nine vowel. Eighteen consonants are simple (some of them mark syllabic groups: "aK" and "eK"), and five consonants are "complex" (e.g. "ny"). In addition to these, Thelegdi lists twenty-one "regular" (BA) and nine "irregular" (BB) ligature syllable-signs. "Additionally, they have some syllable-signs similar to reptiles, which are not made up from existing letters. 

Fig. 12. Coronation Robe and parallels, made in 1031 for Prince Saint Imre, The picture on the Robeidentifies the wearer with the axis of teh world

Székelys call these the head of words/phrases (capita dictionum)", writes Thelegdi and adds the drawings of the hieroglyphs "amb", "tpru", and "ent". (However "ent" is an ancient ligature, see Fig. 14).

Székely script mostly contains characters of A, B, aB, Ba, AB, BA, BB, aBB, BaB, Bba, and BAB type, besides contracted one-letter characters standing for words of several syllables (aNTaL, ALBeRT) or short sentences (eGY USTeN = the only god; ÕS éG = ancient heaven), hieroglyphs ("us"), and sign montages (world models etc.) used for decoration and religious purposes. Such a complex symbolic system that had been interwoven with the Hungarians’ ideas of the world could hardly be deduced from a foreign and late (Semitic or Greek) writing system.

Contents

Preface to the English edition	7.
Preface	9.
History of the scientific views on the origins of Székely runic script	10.
Principles of deriving the origins of Székely script	26.
The development of writing	28.
The shapes of runes and the objects they represent	29.
The mythology, names, and sound values of runes	32.
Rituals and runic script	35.
Types and number of characters	37.
Order of characters	39.
Direction of reading and characters	48.
Syllabic signs	52.
The regular use of syllable and vowel signs	55.
The birth of letter scripts	58.
Comparing of writing systems	61.
The academic historical-geographical preconception	68.
The Turkish connection	70.
What the historical sources say	71.
Székely script of the Huns	73.
The age of the development of Székely character forms	79.
The age of unification of Székely character sets	82.
Hungarian vocabulary connected to writing	87.
Ligatures that survived millennia	92.
Migrations of peoples	97.
Summary	101.
Bibliography	109.

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