Karl-höfði
Old Norse Dictionary - karl-höfði
Meaning of Old Norse word "karl-höfði" (or karl-hǫfði)
As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:
- karl-höfði (karl-hǫfði)
- a, m. a carved man’s head, figure head; bað hann Þorgeir reisa þar upp ás, ok skera á karlhöfða á endanum, an effigy ‘in contumeliam,’ Rd. 305; cp. Fs. 56,—Jökull skar karlshöfuð á súlu-endanum ok reist á rúnar; as also Landn. 4, ch. 4: name of a ship with a man’s head carved on her prow, Ó. H.
Orthography: The Cleasby & Vigfusson book used letter ö to represent the original Old Norse vowel ǫ. Therefore, karl-höfði may be more accurately written as karl-hǫfði.
Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᚴᛅᚱᛚ-ᚼᚢᚠᚦᛁ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements
Abbreviations used:
- ch.
- chapter.
- cp.
- compare.
- m.
- masculine.
- n.
- neuter.
Works & Authors cited:
- Fs.
- Forn-sögur. (D. II.)
- Landn.
- Landnáma. (D. I.)
- Ó. H.
- Ólafs Saga Helga. (E. I.)
- Rd.
- Reykdæla Saga. (D. II.)