The Bergakker inscription was found in 1996 near the town of Bergakker, near Tiel. It is a 5th-century Elder Futhark inscription on a metal mount for a sword scabbard.
Runic writing at the time was used along the North Sea coast, in Frisia, but there are very few other known inscription from Francia. There is consensus that the find dates from the period 425-475 and that the inscription is most likely a singular direct attestation of the Old Frankish language.
The inscription can be read as
where V is a non-standard rune, apparently a vowel (variously read as e or u, or as "any vowel").
Several readings have been presented in literature. There seems to be consensus that the ann means "give/bestow/grant". Several authors read the first word as a personal name in the genitive (indicating property), and the last word as meaning "flame, brand", a kenning for swords. The third word is read either as kusjam, meaning "chooser" or "chosen", or as keisjam meaning "cut" or "cutter", also referring to swords or sword-fighters.
Quak (2000) reads Ha(þu)þ[e]was ann k(u)sjam log(u)ns, interpreting it as "[property] of Haþuþewaz. I bestow upon the choosers of the swords".
Vennemann (1999) readsHaþ(ur)s ann k(u)sjam lōg(u)ns "[property] of Haþur. I grant lodging to the swordblades".
Seebold (1999): h(ǫ)þ(u)was ann k(u)sjam log(u)ns. "I grant combat to the choosers of the sword".
Odenstedt (1999): hā(le) þ(e)was ann k(eis)am lo(ka)ns: "hale servants [warriors] I [the sword] like. I place cuts".
Looijenga (1999): Hā(le)þ(e)was ann k(e)sjam log(e)ns. "[property] of Hāleþewaz: He grants the swords to the swordfighters" (possibly a maker's inscriptions).
Bammesberger (1999): Haþ(u)þ(u)ras ann k(u)s(j)am lōg(u)n[r]... "I grant to Haþuþuraʀ and his chosen [bride] the wedding-rune".
Mees (2002): Ha(þu)þ[ȳ]was ann k(u)sjam lōguns. "[property] of Haþuþȳwaʀ. He grants a flame [=brand, sword] to the chosen".
Grünzweig (2004): Ha(þu)þ(ewa)s ann k(u)sjam log(ō)ns "[property] of Haþuþyewaʀ - he grants the choosers [enemies?] the flame [sword?]".
