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52 THE VIKING PERIOD
to his foster (mother) Malmuru (Ir. Maelmuire), daughter
of Tufgal (Ir. Dubhgall), whom Athisl had to wife." To this
the rune writer adds :
"
It is better to leave a good foster-
son than a bad son." 1
Crosses were also erected by Mail
Brikti (Ir. Mael Brigde), son of Athakan (Ir. Aedhacan)
the smith ;
2
by Thorleifr Hnakki in remembrance of his
son Fiak (Ir. Fiacca) ;
3
and by an unknown Norseman to
the memory of his wife Murkialu (Ir. Muirgheal).* Another
cross-slab commemorates Athmiul (? Ir. Cathmaoil), wife
of Traian (i.e., the Pictish name Druiari), son of Tufkal,
6
while still another stone contains a fragment of a prayer
to Christ, and the Irish saints, Malaki (Malachy), Bathrik
(Patrick), and Athanman (Adamnan).
6
The advance of Christianity during the tenth century
may be attributed to a large extent to the prevalence of
the practice known as prime-signing or marking with the
sign of the cross. According to Eyrbyggja Saga, (ch. 50),
this was
"
a common custom among merchants and
mercenary soldiers in Christian armies, because those men
who were
’
prime-signed
’
could associate with Christians
as well as heathens, while retaining that faith which they
liked best." Nearly all the Norse kings who reigned in
Dublin during this century seem to have accepted
Christianity. When Gothfrith plundered Armagh in 919
"
he spared the church and the houses of prayer, with their
company of culdees (ceile-de) and the sick." 7
We may assume
1
Ib., pp. 86-95, I95-I99-
2
Ib., pp. 150-153-
3
Ib., pp. 203-205.
4
Ib., pp. 209-213.
5
Ib., p. 169.
6
Ib., pp. 212-213.
’’Annals of Ulster, A.D. 919. The same source in recording
Gothfrith’s death (A.D. 933) speaks of him as
"
the most cruel of
the Norsemen."
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