ANCR-301 Lessons

Professor Wessex opens the doors to the Room of Runes for the final time this year, watching her students arrive for their last lesson on the Germanic runes. Once everyone has found their seat, she waves her wand to decorate the room with various runes that promise success and creativity, along with a few symbols that look suspiciously like Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Introduction
And so we reach the end of another year. Today, we will conclude our study of the Germanic runes, and you will have your final exams after this lesson. We won’t go into much material today; instead, I am going to briefly summarise what we have studied this year, and then give a preview of what you can expect if you decide to continue studying Ancient Runes next year. Many of you will be considering what you would like to do with your lives, and so I will be including some general information on professions that require and use knowledge of ancient runes as well.

Review of ANCR301
The overall theme of this year was change. Building on knowledge of the Elder Futhark studied in your first year of studying Ancient Runes, this year focused on the two runic alphabets that developed from that oldest Germanic script. We began the year by reviewing some of the terminology learned previously and then looked at some of the factors such as time, contact with other cultures, and geographical circumstances, which led to the development of new runic scripts in two distinct areas of Northwestern Europe.

The first of these new runic scripts was the Younger Futhark, which developed in Scandinavia. This script made several changes to the symbols inherited from the Elder Futhark, including the loss of some symbols, changes in the sounds and meanings associated with individual symbols, and also changes to the shapes and the creation of completely new runic symbols.

Next, we looked at the Anglo-Saxon Futhork, which developed in the western parts of the former heartland of the Elder Futhark runes, and travelled with the Germanic tribes when they settled in the British Isles. Due to different influences compared to the Scandinavian experience, the futhark in Britain developed in a different direction. While many of the runes retained the meanings familiar from the time of the Elder Futhark, some of their shapes were changed, their names and pronunciations altered to accommodate changes in the language, and additionally new symbols were added to give the users of the script a wider range of options to express themselves.

The second part of this year focused on some of the texts and inscriptions that still inform our knowledge of the runes to this day. We looked at the three rune poems that tell us a great deal about how the different languages and different eras interpreted the runes, we discussed the role runes played in keeping magical writings alive and safe from Muggles, and we looked at how the runes were used on everyday and important artefacts to record messages of great importance to masters of the runic arts.

Through all this, you were given the opportunity to consider a controversy surrounding these runes and think critically, using logic, in order to make up your own mind on the subject.

Preview of ANCR401
Next year, we will all start from scratch once more, for we will begin our studies of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs or hieroglyphics. Those of you who have been following the Ancient Studies course this year will already know that the ancient Egyptians had a well-developed writing system, and that many of their magical texts are recorded in the symbols we know today as hieroglyphs. For the next two years, these will be the focus of our studies. Initially, we will be starting with the basics, just like we did with the Elder Futhark. Therefore, Year Four will deal primarily with how to transcribe and translate Egyptian texts and messages and their alphabet.

Professions Related to Ancient Runes
Those of you who come from magical families likely equate stories of Egyptian magic with childlike fantasies of Gringotts curse-breakers and ancient magics. Indeed, there is quite a large overlap between curse-breaking and Ancient Runes, and thus, this profession will be mentioned frequently in the coming years. However, this is not the only profession to which a sound knowledge of Ancient Runes is useful. The skills we learn and develop in Ancient Runes are not just the ability to read ancient scripts, but the ability to use context to take educated guesses, to be comfortable around unknown magic and have a plan to decipher it, and to be able to make a full picture from small pieces of the puzzle. Moreover, the language and script of various groups is inextricably woven into the fabric of their culture and society, and so we study these in our classes as well. These skills and bits of knowledge are valuable in a number of professions, some of which I will detail below:

Curse-breaker- We can hardly go on without mentioning curse-breaking as a linked profession. As you delve into the world of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics for the next two years, they will be mentioned often, as curse-breakers and Egypt typically come hand in hand. Ancient Runes provides curse-breakers with tools to think quickly on their feet and know what sort of spells and curses are coming their way before they happen. Additionally, Ancient Runes provides some insight into trends and patterns of magic common in different periods throughout ancient Egypt that can prove useful. Lastly, Egypt is not the only place where there are magical tombs, and therefore not the only place that curse-breakers work. Tombs in Asia, Great Britain, and South America (just to name a few) also often require the expertise of curse-breakers and the study of the scripts in these areas is crucial.

Before we move on, I would like to highlight one famous historical curse-breaker, Tertius Maceachern. Born around the 16th century, his tale is one of rags to riches. The Scottish-born boy went from orphan to the discoverer of the ancient burial grounds of Saqqara -- an area so rich with pyramids, mastabas and tombs that Gringotts is still clearing them out to this day.

Magiarchaeologist- While also quite a notable figure in the world of linguistics, Mathilda Stevens has published a great many works on fascinating ancient artefacts. In fact a former professor that graced these very halls, and a dear colleague of mine, Mathilda’s most recent work in the Australian outback has uncovered an unknown Aboriginal script suspected to be magical.

In their daily work, magiarchaeologists attempt to learn about human history through the examination of ancient magical artefacts. In doing so, they often must exert patience and care to not harm their finds. Many artefacts inscribed with runes react negatively to other magic that would normally be used in excavation and deciphering and so all of this work must be done by hand. Additionally, and unsurprisingly, a knowledge of both the language and the culture of the people who created the artefact is highly desirable.

Magianthropologist- Very similar to a magiarchaeologist, a magianthropologist studies the history of humans. However, this profession tends more toward examining historical records rather than being out in the field examining finds. These persons must have a deep understanding of various societies, their culture, their history, and how it affects us today. A notable magianthropologist you will have likely covered in your studies in History of Magic is Hugo Bjorken.

This Belgian magianthropologist is the head curator of the largest magical museum in that region, Brussels Museum of Ancient Magical History, and a famed magianthropologist. His thesis on the presence of otherwise undetectable, mile-wide Glamour Charms was ground-breaking in the early 1900s and paved the way for many present-day magiarchaeological expeditions in Turkey and Syria that had previously been hidden underground.

Magilinguist- This profession is devoted to the study of languages, scripts, and often, the influence and change that occurs when one or more language meets. Ancient Runes is just the starting point for this profession, as there are dozens more magical scripts (and their uses) to study.  

Ava Sayahi, an Iranian-born magilinguist has received recent acclaim for her studies in ancient African languages, dialects and the interplay between various language groups. Her studies and articles are the leading motivation behind a surge in the study of ancient African spells.

Magihistorian- Lastly, we have the field of the magihistorian. While this profession is very similar to that of the magianthropologist, the main difference is that historians examine history and history alone, instead of looking at the people behind that history, although -- as you would imagine -- there is a fair bit of overlap.

William Marangue, the author of the book The Theory of Uno Mas, is one of the most prominent magihistorians of this era. His publications about the dawn of magic are, though contested, quite revolutionary, pointing to the use of magic since the beginnings of the human race.

Now, before we close our discussion of professions, it is important to note that often, the distinctions between these professions are not as clear-cut as they appear. A magilinguist may also study archeological finds and be involved in the unearthing process. A magiarchaeologist -- such as myself -- study history as well, to better understand the historical and social context of the pieces she or he is unearthing. I do not want you to walk away from this lesson thinking there is no overlap, though there are certainly experts in each of these fields.

Of course, these five fields are not the only careers that benefit from the knowledge and skills we learn in Ancient Runes. Many other professions can use it; in fact, nearly all of them, though admittedly in much smaller doses. We have seen how potioneers can use runes to enhance and complement their points, we know that runes may be used in some wand designs and it never hurts to have one more trick up your sleeve as an auror.

Conclusion
But for now, we have reached the end of our journey through the world of the Germanic runes. Your final exam consists of three parts: an essay, a quiz, and a translation assignment, as well as the option to submit your research project. If you have been paying attention all year and have studied hard, I have no doubt you will leave this classroom after finals with a sense of accomplishment.

Well done.

Original lesson written by Professor Mathilda Stevens
Additional portions by Professor Venita Wessex
Image credits here and here