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Vikings' Secret Code Cracked

sciencehabit writes "What may look like mere scratches is much more. A 900-year-old Viking code known as jötunvillur has been cracked. The code-cracker, runologist Jonas Nordby from the University of Oslo, deciphered the system after realizing he needed to replace the original runic character with the last sound used to pronounce it. For instance, the runic character 'k' is pronounced 'kaun,' so k becomes n. Nordby believes secret messages were created by the Vikings for entertainment. One piece of wood reads: 'Kiss me.'"

89 comments

  1. Real story... by Raistlin77 · · Score: 5, Informative

    The real story is at http://www.thisiscolossal.com/...

    1. Re:Real story... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Sounds like the viking version of pig latin more than any 'cipher' to me. But I guess you had to be there.

    2. Re:Real story... by tindur · · Score: 1

      And in Norwegian here: http://www.forskning.no/artikl...

  2. Link to summary that links to article that .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ok, dove through the reference-pit and found this as the apparent root story.

    Please, either mod this up or edit the Slashsummary to actually link to a useful article in the chain.

  3. That or by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    More likely kiss my ass....

    1. Re:That or by davester666 · · Score: 2

      well, Bender did travel through time.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    2. Re:That or by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And, "kiss my shiny metal hat" is definitely something a viking could say.

  4. Utility in the American Latin alphabet: by ctheme · · Score: 1

    h, y. How disappointing.
    For Commonwealth nations, you may add 'z' to the list.

    1. Re:Utility in the American Latin alphabet: by Slagothor · · Score: 1

      But you can (American and Republican) say "hooey". Very important for us Umuricuns.

  5. The cypher by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1

    As far as I could make out the cypher is something like, the letter I is pronounced "eye", so replace I with E. The letter K is pronounced "kay" so K will be replaced with Y. Obviously the hash is many to one. Both B and I will map to E in English. Not sure it would be one-to-one in runes.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:The cypher by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The problem with applying this to other alphabets is that many do not actually have names for the characters. "Eye" isn't the name for I, it's just how you pronounce an isolated I. If you want to do this for the latin alphabet, your best bet would be to use one of the military alphabets.

    2. Re:The cypher by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's actually an interesting idea.

      Think of a series of 26 words, each starting with a different letter of the alphabet, and ending with a different letter of the alphabet. The NATO phonetic alphabet, for example, has alpha and delta, which both end with 'a', but you could modify that alphabet so every word ends with a different letter.

      That would be an interesting exercise for the cunning linguist...

    3. Re:The cypher by H0p313ss · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's actually an interesting idea.

      Think of a series of 26 words, each starting with a different letter of the alphabet, and ending with a different letter of the alphabet. The NATO phonetic alphabet, for example, has alpha and delta, which both end with 'a', but you could modify that alphabet so every word ends with a different letter.

      That would be an interesting exercise for the cunning linguist...

      Interesting, but a very simple substitution cipher of which there are many.

      Most substitution ciphers can be cracked by simple frequency analysis.

      Note that the statistical frequency of particular letters is language specific, so you have to know the source language.

      --
      XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
    4. Re:The cypher by ZahrGnosis · · Score: 1

      Thanks for beating me to this -- it sounds like a simple substitution cipher; even with a many-to-one I'm amazed it would be THAT hard to crack. Of course, looking at the images in the articles I wasn't having a good time telling one rune from the next (there was a series of like 5 "R" looking characters in a row), so maybe it was a high order many-to-one so the trick helped narrow the field.

      I'm impressed that such a cipher lasted this long, though!

    5. Re:The cypher by O-Deka-K · · Score: 3, Funny

      Let's do this for Japanese!

      a - a, ka - a, sa - a, ta - a, na - a, ha - a, ma - a, ya - a, ra - a, wa - a
      i - i, ki - i, shi - i, chi - i, ni - i, hi - i, mi - i, ri - i, etc...
      n -> n

      Decipher these words/phrases:
      oaouoaiau
      aiaouoaiau
      oniia
      aaaai

    6. Re: The cypher by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +1

      Not sure why cracking a 900-year-old simple substitution cypher is so significant. I guess the real question is, if it's really just a substitution cypher, why hasn't anybody else figured it out. Perhaps few people have really been trying.

    7. Re: The cypher by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      why hasn't anybody else figured it out. Perhaps few people have really been trying.

      Probably. Why would someone with an interest in cryptography study archeology or cultural history?

      This is also the reason to why rolling your own retarded crypto could be safer than using one of the classics. Most people or companies aren't going to be targeted by someone who knows cryptography. The primary threat are automated data gatherers and script-kiddies. Both relies on everyone using standardized systems with known flaws rather than using custom systems.

    8. Re:The cypher by cupantae · · Score: 1

      Not sure it would be one-to-one in runes.

      I was wondering this too. From the article linked above by tindur (norwegian), it's not, but it's not too bad:
      6 letters map to R
      3 to S
      2 to
      2 to L
      2 to N
      1 to E

      By my counting, english has 10-13 letters mapped to E. Depends on your spelling of letters.
      Eeeenes hn ihur seellene hf leeeers.

      --
      --
    9. Re:The cypher by JamieIanMacgregor · · Score: 1

      Has anyone applied this to this yet? : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V...

    10. Re: The cypher by V+for+Vendetta · · Score: 1

      My guess would be: 1) as you stated: not many cryptographers tackled the riddle and 2) a simple substitution is easy to spot, if you know the language. Not sure how many people these days "speak" runes and know their pronounciation (which seems part of the substitution).

  6. Interesting by GameboyRMH · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah so that big far bikini it soars!

    (Missed first post by this much!)

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    1. Re:Interesting by Java+Pimp · · Score: 1

      Well played! No mod points today, sorry...

      --
      Ascalante: Your bride is over 3,000 years old.
      Kull: She told me she was 19!
    2. Re:Interesting by CreatureComfort · · Score: 3, Informative

      As least it wasn't:

      Dumb abusive cart barista abuses nouveau caloric gimmick chocolates.

      --
      "Unheard of means only it's undreamed of yet,
      Impossible means not yet done." ~~ Julia Ecklar
  7. KAUN!!!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    .......

  8. Decode this! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Back tatami scratches scratches
    Loom funny
    Beta scratches scratches

    1. Re:Decode this! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Back tatami scratches scratches
      Loom funny
      Beta scratches scratches

      won so
      that with a run drink
      say o you

      (Kiss my Ass)
      (No thank you)

  9. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Kiss Me"? Did CmdrTaco write that?

  10. Another case of universities teaching... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ..young peoples skills and abilities needed in the 21 century.

    1. Re:Another case of universities teaching... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...because the only thing worth doing in life is sucking corporate peen for cash.

  11. Secret messages by dudeX · · Score: 2

    "...other translated inscriptions turned out to be playful taunts at the person doing the decoding."

    Remember to drink your ovaltine!

    1. Re:Secret messages by X0563511 · · Score: 1

      Sounds like it was some kind of word game / amusement more than anything else.

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
  12. so disappointing by tehlinux · · Score: 1

    "Be sure to drink your ovaltine."

    --
    Most linux users don't know this, but the man pages were named after Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris fsck'ing hates noobs!
  13. Re:Link to summary that links to article that .... by maubp · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, this longer piece http://www.forskning.no/artikler/2014/januar/379474 in Norwegian seems to be the source (by Ida Kvittingen). Oddly the photo credit links there.

  14. Viking Pig Latin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oooyay Otgay Isthay?

  15. Why Bother? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why bother cracking Vikings' secret code? You obviously don't need it to defeat them

  16. No point. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's no point in cracking the code.

    Everybody knows it's going to be a handoff to Adrian Peterson, who will run the ball.

  17. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by Ol+Biscuitbarrel · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Eat me, I'm Danish."

  18. Here's the translation: by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    1. Invade
    2. R@pe
    3. Plunder
    4. ???
    5. Profit!

    1. Re:Here's the translation: by F.Ultra · · Score: 2

      I don't think that vikings needed the fourth step.

    2. Re: Here's the translation: by peragrin · · Score: 1

      Much simpler

      Pillage then burn.

      Never
      Burn then pillage

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    3. Re:Here's the translation: by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Hedley Lamarr: Qualifications?
      Applicant: Rape, murder, arson, and rape.
      Hedley Lamarr: You said rape twice.
      Applicant: I like rape.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    4. Re:Here's the translation: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      vikings need therapist for step 2.

  19. Hm. by vikingpower · · Score: 2

    Damn.

    --
    Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
  20. Igpay Atinlay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And I thought I was clever...

  21. Tally Board by Martin+S. · · Score: 1

    It looks more like a Tally Board for stock keeping to me.

  22. DICE = vikings? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They sure are r@ping this beta interface.

  23. Am i the only one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    who missread the headline as "Victoria Secret Code Cracked"..?

    Disssssapointing....

  24. Pig Norse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You've heard of Pig Latin? This is Pig Norse.

    1. Re:Pig Norse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Kiss me. I'm Bacon, Kevin Bacon." The final part was lost due to natural causes.

  25. Simple substitution cypher by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So it turns out to be a simple substitution cypher - but in Norwegian.
    Of course - an easy thing to miss. Norwegian substitution cyphers can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day in which they were written.

    1. Re:Simple substitution cypher by Culture20 · · Score: 1

      Lossy simple substitution since Thorn, Khen, Man, and Khon all map to Not, Suhil and Hagale map to Lagu, etc. You can easily translate some letters, but you have to use context to figure out the rest (with a vastly reduced set of possible runes if you know the secret).

    2. Re:Simple substitution cypher by Culture20 · · Score: 1

      And if you go with elder fuþark, then half the runes map to "z" (algiz), including algiz itself.

    3. Re:Simple substitution cypher by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well you discovered a fixed point congratulations!

  26. Child's play by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    So it's a monoalphabetic substitution cipher? How the fuck was it not cracked until now?

    1. Re:Child's play by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No one was expecting it to be so simple!

  27. shut up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    you know how everyone comes to slashdot for the comments? Well, you also know what's killing slashdot faster than dice? The fucking "fuck beta" crowd ruining every comment thread. You guys are making the comments section even worse because instead of it just being a crappier system, now the content is 50% about how bad beta is.

    1. Re:shut up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      These clueless $"&1% put 25% of their userbase onto a completely broken discussion system because they thought it needed exposure. Or so they say. I mean, that is something you do when you think your site is ready for prime time.

      I mean, I thought the change to the current "classic" system was abysmal. Broken javascript... slashdot idle... stuff didn't work. But it doesn't even compare to the clusterf**!* that is slashdot beta.

      They demonstrated that they did not understand the criticisms when beta was first launched. What other idea do you have to get the message across that... well... how do I say it... fuck beta!

  28. Kiss me I'lm Viking! by NetNinja · · Score: 1

    Time to trademark that.

    1. Re:Kiss me I'lm Viking! by funwithBSD · · Score: 1

      First, put down the axes.

      --
      Never answer an anonymous letter. - Yogi Berra
  29. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Eat me, I'm a danish.

  30. kiddie code? by bjdevil66 · · Score: 1

    I imagine that 1000 years into the future some 20th century English runologist will crack the code of pig latin.

    1. Re:kiddie code? by painandgreed · · Score: 1

      I imagine that 1000 years into the future some 20th century English runologist will crack the code of pig latin.

      Or ubbi dubbi.

  31. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by Minwee · · Score: 2

    Rock me I'm-a-danish.

  32. Ég skil ekki by Rei · · Score: 2

    eir eru að tala um rúnir en myndin er bara rispur á spýtu. Hvernig ýðir maður rispur á rúnir?

    --
    He's the sort of person who would sell the Red Cross to Dracula.
    1. Re:Ég skil ekki by tindur · · Score: 1

      að er vitlaus mynd.

  33. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    British women are bad at cooking.

  34. substitution cipher? by pz · · Score: 1

    From the description it sounds like a simple substitution cipher (from their examples, /e/ for /f/, and /n/ for /k/). How hard can that be to decode if you have enough of the text? Yes, neato that we can now read certain notes that have been encoded for 900 years, but were they really only undeciphered that long because no one had a proper, scholarly look at them?

    --

    Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
    1. Re:substitution cipher? by Culture20 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Because:
      Åruz -> algiz
      thurisaz -> algiz
      ansuz -> algiz
      hagalaz -> algiz
      naudiz -> algiz
      iwaz -> algiz
      algiz -> algiz
      tiwaz -> algiz
      ehwaz -> algiz
      mannaz -> algiz
      laguz -> algiz
      ingwaz -> algiz
      dagaz -> algiz
      So their coded documents would have looked like
      zzjgu zzzzknzz uzbzz uzzzzzzb zznzzrzzz jzzzzzrzzuzzzrfz zuiz zdzzzzf gzz zzzzzz zzzzzzzzzz zzz

      "He must have fell asleep while carving it."
      "Well, if he fell asleep, he wouldn't have bothered carving ZZZ, he would have just said it."
      "Perhaps he was dictating."

    2. Re:substitution cipher? by Culture20 · · Score: 2

      Ah, they were using younger futhark, so that's why all the R's:
      ur -> reidh
      naudhr -> reidh
      ar -> reidh
      madhr -> reidh
      yr -> reidh

  35. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 2

    "My wife Aud left me and changed her name to Anyanka, wtf. Me sleeping wih other village wenches never bother her before. This whole village has changed, people are funky and dying. Encoding because not safe, my blacksmith hammers have ears."

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  36. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by hawguy · · Score: 1

    What is the secret code for "Fuck beta"?

    I believe the Slashdot-approved secret code would be "Shpx orgn".

  37. Pig Viking? by thejuggler · · Score: 1

    So they had a form of Pig Latin back then too? "issKay emay Iyay'may ikingVay"

  38. Plaintext by PPH · · Score: 1

    "A m00se once bit my sister...."

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re:Plaintext by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "A m00se once bit my sister...."

      The next line in Runic probably would read: "So she tore its head off and roasted it."

  39. Re:Beta? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How did you know his donkey's name was Jack?

  40. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

    Ich bin ein Berliner!

    --
    much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
  41. Plaintext by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bloody Swedes

  42. Re: Here's the translation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    pillage is traditionally in that list.

  43. change by greatscott02 · · Score: 1

    The amount of change the internet will see this year will make your life miserable if you continue to over think things instead of making like water and adjust to the new reality.

  44. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by drkim · · Score: 1

    "Kiss Me"?

    Perhaps this was really the Viking version of Candy Hearts..?

    http://refinerymagazine.com.au...

  45. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by 3leggeddog · · Score: 1

    Ich bin ein Berliner!

    How many Berliners did he think we thought he was?

  46. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A berliner is a type of donut.

    It would be similar to saying 'Ich ben ein Hamburger'

  47. Re:Fuck beta and the horse it rode in on! by 3leggeddog · · Score: 1

    The point of my comment (which both the Evaluator and this AC commenter appear to have missed) is that JFK's line appears to have been given him by someone who had nearly no familiarity with German but did have an English-German dictionary and a firm belief that there exists a one-to-one mapping between English and German, words and idioms; a typical American, unfortunately. "Ich bin ein Berliner" means "I am one Berliner." Someone familiar with idiomatic German would most likely say something on the order of "Auch bin Ich Berliner": "I, too, am a Berliner."