12000 years ago. This was the last glacial period, with the technical name of the Weichselian glaciation, when northern Europe and the British Isles were vovered by the Fenno-Scandian ice sheet.

12000 years ago. This was the last glacial period, with the technical name of the Weichselian glaciation, when northern Europe and the British Isles were vovered by the Fenno-Scandian ice sheet.

It is from this period, 8000BC (or 10,000 years ago) that the earliest evidence of humankind in Scandinavia has been found. In May 1941, the remains of a human skull and some bones were discovered near Koelbjerg, on the island of Funen, at a depth of 2.5 metres. This so-called “bog body”, also know as “The Koelbjerg Man” was originally thought to be a woman but later analysis concluded that it was a man.

It was around 400AD that a new branch of runic alphabets emerged - Anglo-Saxon Furhorc, also known as Anglo-Frisian Futhork. This was around 250 years after the runic script first emerged in.Denmark and Norway, known as the Elder Futhark. Elder Futhark runic alphabet was in use around 400-800AD, and then followed the Younger Futhork of 16 runes lasting around 800-1100AD.