Þing-festi

Meaning of Old Norse word "þing-festi"

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

þing-festi

f. a law term, domicile in or allegiance to a ‘þing-community. In the Icel. Commonwealth every franklin had to declare his allegiance to one of the priests, and to say of what community he was a member; yet the word was political rather than strictly geographical, for the ‘þings,’ like the ‘godords,’ were not strictly geographical divisions, Grág. i. 164: hence the phrase, spyrja at þingfesti e-s. to speer after a man’s þingfesti, call on him to declare it, as also ganga við þ. e-s, to acknowledge one’s þ. (of the priest), Grág. (Kb.) i. 3, 43, 132, Nj. 87; því at einu er rétt at hafa þingfesti í öðrum fjórðungi heldr enn er maðr býr, ef goða er þat lofat þeim at lögbergi at taka þriðjungs-mann útan-fjórðungs, Grág. i. 165, which last passage is evidently a ‘novella.’

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