Hömlu-fall

Meaning of Old Norse word "hömlu-fall" (or hǫmlu-fall)

As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:

hömlu-fall (hǫmlu-fall)

n. an illegal breaking up of a ship, a Norse law term, no king’s ship might be demolished unless the keel had been laid for a new ship; hömlufall was liable to a fine of three marks for every hamla, n. G. L. i. 101.

Orthography: The Cleasby & Vigfusson book used letter ö to represent the original Old Norse vowel ǫ. Therefore, hömlu-fall may be more accurately written as hǫmlu-fall.

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᚼᚢᛘᛚᚢ-ᚠᛅᛚᛚ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements