VOA科学技术2023 挪威发现最古老的符文石

Researchers in Norway say they have found what they believe is the world's oldest runestone – a stone with ancient writing on it.

挪威的研究人员表示，他们发现了他们认为是世界上最古老的符文石——一块刻有古代文字的石头。

Runes are the characters in several Germanic alphabets.

卢恩字母是一些日耳曼字母中的字符。

These characters were used in northern Europe from ancient times until the change to the Latin¹ alphabet.

这些字符从古代一直在北欧使用，直到改用拉丁字母。

The exact origin of runic writing is unclear.

卢恩文字的确切起源尚不清楚。

The Norwegian researchers say the writing on the runestone could be up to 2000 years old.

挪威研究人员表示，符文石上的文字可能有2000年的历史。

The runestone is square and flat.

这块符文石是方形的，表面平整。

The runes carved into it may represent the earliest example of recorded words in Scandinavia, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo said.

奥斯陆文化史博物馆表示，刻在它上面的卢恩文字可能是斯堪的纳维亚最早的文字记录。

It said it was "among the oldest runic inscriptions² ever found" and "the oldest datable runestone in the world."

该博物馆表示，这是“迄今为止发现的最古老的卢恩碑文之一”，也是“世界上最古老的可确定年代的符文石”。

Kristel Zilmer is a professor at University of Oslo, of which the museum is part.

克里斯蒂尔·齐尔默是奥斯陆大学的教授，该博物馆是奥斯陆大学的一部分。

Zilmer told The Associated Press, "This find will give us a lot of knowledge about the use of runes in the early Iron Age.

齐尔默在接受美联社采访时说：“这一发现将使我们对早期铁器时代卢恩文字的使用信息有更多的了解。

This may be one of the first attempts to use runes in Norway and Scandinavia on stone."

这可能是挪威和斯堪的纳维亚半岛首批在石头上使用卢恩文字的尝试之一。”

Runes have been found on stones and on home goods.

在石头和家居用品上都发现了卢恩文字。

Older runes have been found on other objects, also, but not on stone.

在其他物品上也发现了更古老的卢恩文字，但没有在石头上发现。

The oldest known runic writing is on a hair tool made from bone.

已知最古老的卢恩文字是刻在由骨头制成的梳理头发的工具上的。

It was found in Denmark.

它是在丹麦发现的。

Zilmer said that the ancient writer might have used a knife or needle to make the runes.

齐尔默说，该古代作家可能使用了刀或针来刻这些卢恩文字。

The runestone was discovered in the fall of 2021 during a dig in Tyrifjord, west of Oslo.

这块符文石是2021年秋天在奥斯陆西部的提里夫约德附近挖掘时发现的。

The area is known for several major archaeological finds.

该地区因一些重大的考古发现而闻名。

Zilmer explained that the find was announced late because researchers needed time to study "and date the runestone."

齐尔默解释说，之所以宣布这一发现的时间很晚，是因为研究人员需要时间来研究“并确定符文石的年代”。

Measuring 31 centimeters by 32 centimeters, the stone has several kinds of writings.

这块石头长31厘米，宽32厘米，上面有多种文字。

Not all of them make sense.

并不是所有的文字都有意义。

Eight runes on the front of the stone read "idiberug" — which could be the name of an individual or family.

这块石头正面的8个罗恩文字是“idiberug”——可能是个人或家庭的名字。

Zilmer called the discovery "the most sensational³ thing that I, as an academic, have had."

齐尔默称这一发现是“我作为一名学者所见证过的最激动人心的事情”。

Sensational means causing great excitement.

Sensational的意思是引起极大的兴奋。

There is still a lot of research to be done on the rock, named Svingerud stone after where it was found.

这块石头以它的发现地命名为Svingerud stone，关于它还有很多研究要做。

"Without doubt, we will obtain valuable knowledge about the early history of runic writing," Zilmer added.

齐尔默还说：“毫无疑问，我们将获得有关罗恩文字早期历史的宝贵知识”。

The Museum of Cultural History is holding a public showing of the runestone for a month.

该文化历史博物馆将举行为期一个月的符文石公开展览。

The museum holds Norway's largest collection of historical objects, from ancient times to modern-day.

该博物馆拥有挪威最大的历史文物收藏，包含从古至今的文物。

I'm Ashley Thompson.

阿什利·汤普森为您播报。

1 Latin   

adj.拉丁的，拉丁语的，拉丁人的；n.拉丁语

参考例句：

• She learned Latin without a master.她无师自通学会了拉丁语。
• Please use only Latin characters.请仅使用拉丁文字符。

2 inscriptions   

（作者）题词( inscription的名词复数 )； 献词； 碑文； 证劵持有人的登记

参考例句：

• Centuries of wind and rain had worn away the inscriptions on the gravestones. 几个世纪的风雨已磨损了墓碑上的碑文。
• The inscriptions on the stone tablet have become blurred with the passage of time. 年代久了，石碑上的字迹已经模糊了。

3 sensational   

adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的

参考例句：

• Papers of this kind are full of sensational news reports.这类报纸满是耸人听闻的新闻报道。
• Their performance was sensational.他们的演出妙极了。