Definitions
Definitions
1 alaðs-festr
ar, f. [obsolete alaðr, alimentum, Ýt. 13, v. l.], a law term in the Icel. Commonwealth, viz. the eighth part of the sum fjörbaugr (life-money), amounting to an ounce, a fee to be paid by a convict in the Court of Execution (féránsdómr); if a convict, liable to the lesser outlawry, failed in paying off the alaðsfestr, he thereby became a complete outlaw, úalandi; hence the name life-money or blood-money. It is thus defined: þar skal gjaldast mörk lögaura at féránsdómi, goða þeim er féránsdóminn nefndi; þat fé heitir fjörbaugr, en einn eyrir (ounce) þess fjár heitir a. ef þat fé (the alaðsf. or the whole fjörb.?) gelzt eigi, þá verði hann skógarmaðr úæll, Grág. i. 88; nú gelzt fjörbaugr ok a. þá skal dæma svá sekðarfé hans sem skógarmanns, 132: Njála uses the less classic form, aðalfestr (per metath.), Nj. 240; cp. Johnsonius (Lat. transl.), p. 529, note 8.
Runic Inscription
Runic Inscription
alaðs-festr
The runic text above represents the Old Norse word "alaðs-festr" as it might appear in runic inscriptions from the Viking Age (c. 800-1100 CE).