Johan Georges P Bollaert

• Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2025). The Materiality of Roman and Runic Alphabet Tombs in Medieval Norway. In Cockerham, Paul & Steer, Christian (Ed.), Tomb Monuments In Medieval Europe Volume One. Yorkist History Trust. ISSN 9781915774309. p. 22–42. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  A quantity of medieval tombstones bearing inscriptions in the runic and Roman alphabets have been preserved in Norway. These two alphabets were in use side by side for several centuries, something which has previously been described as diglossic, yet on tombstones we find inscriptions of similar form and content in either alphabet. How these tombstones with runic and Roman alphabet inscriptions differ from one another, and what we know about their production are aspects discussed in this article, in particular an analysis of the stone types used for these tombs to know more about the choices made by their carvers and patrons. These are related to the local availability of these types of stone, diachronic changes in the memorial tradition, and the social status of the commemorated. The results of a detailed analysis of all currently known runic and Roman alphabet tombs from medieval Norway show that the runic tombs are made predominantly of types of stone which were locally available. These stone types are often hard, such as granite and gneiss. In contrast, Roman alphabet tombs are made mainly of softer types of stone such as marble and limestone. These are less commonly found in Norway and would have been transported over large distances. The preference for marble and limestone may at least partially be due to European influence, and its frequent use for the Roman alphabet tombs may be related to the wealth of those commissioning the monuments.

• Andersen, Elisabeth; Bollaert, Johan Georges P; Holmqvist, Karen Langsholt & Kaun, Susanne (2022). Images and Inscriptions: A Study of the Murals in Kviteseid Old Church. Collegium Medievale. ISSN 0801-9282. 35, p. 59–88. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kviteseid Old Church in Telemark, Norway, is a medieval stone church with murals of a seemingly informal character. These depictions consist of ships, figures, individual letters, and longer inscriptions, apparently randomly placed on the interior chancel walls. By studying the painting techniques, the stratigraphic structure and the motifs of the paintings, the authors explore the intentions behind these motifs. They argue that, although of simple manufacture and unprogrammatic, they were an important part of the late-medieval and post-Reformational church experience. Several of the images and inscriptions may have had a memorial intention. This study provides a new understanding of a type of murals found in several medieval churches in Norway and abroad that has often been (mis)interpreted as graffiti.

• Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2021). Dating Medieval Roman Alphabet Inscriptions– An Example from Hallvard’s Cathedral in Oslo. Collegium Medievale. ISSN 0801-9282. 24. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In order for Roman alphabet inscriptions to be useful primary sources for historical, linguistic or other research, it is important that they are dated. Moreover, the user of these inscriptions should be able to judge the quality, i.e., the certainty, or uncertainty of the proposed dates. Several criteria for dating Roman alphabet inscriptions are presented, based on my cataloguing work in the project "Between Runes and Manuscripts". These are applied on Guðrun's gravestone from Hallvard's Cathedral in Oslo. Øystein Ekroll and Bent Lange have previously dated this gravestone to c. 1200, however, I argue that the inscription should be dated to the fourteenth century.

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• Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2022). Kors och tvärs: om interpunktion i Uppsalas runstenar. Exemplet U 942. Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2022). Runic and Roman alphabet tombs in medieval Norway - exceptions in a digraphic society? Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2021). Epigraphy and place: "Hamar-I". Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan Georges P (2021). Visuality and literacy in medieval norwegian epigraphy. Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2019). Unusual Interpunction: (a lack of) Literacy? Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2019). Material directing form? - The design of public inscriptions on stone. Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2019). Visuality and Literacy in Medieval Norwegian Epigraphy. Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2019). Visible inscriptions in urban and rural Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2019). literacitet och visualitet i norges medeltida inskrifter. Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2019). Gravstenarnas placering, skriftens läsbarhet och minnet efter de döda - Två gravstenar från Hallvardskatedralen. Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2018). Roman Alphabet Epigraphy in Medieval Scandinavia - A Writing Culture? Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2018). HER:HVILIR or her:hvilir - Carving Traditions in Medieval Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Kleivane, Elise & Bollaert, Johan (2018). <authority>Bokstavar mellom runer og manuskript</authority>. Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan (2017). Roman alphabetical inscriptions – A writing culture in Scandinavia? Full text in Research Archive
• Bollaert, Johan Georges P; Kleivane, Elise & Blennow, Anna Holst (2022). Visuality and Literacy in the Medieval Epigraphy of Norway. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive

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