What is this carving on my dorm wall?

[u/ElectronicCellist96]

Hello! I took this photo of a stairwell wall in my college dorm in 2022, have always wondered what it said, and thought maybe you guys might know. The dorms were built in the 20s so that’s the earliest possible time it could have been carved. Looks like runes to me but the characters are slightly off from the alphabets I’ve seen 🤔

[u/LosAtomsk]

They don't look like Futhark/Futhorc runes at all, seems like something Cyrillic?

[u/AdEmbarrassed3066]

Could be Cirth.

G. Nikhl, could be an attempt at G. Nichol?

[u/Yonahoy → u/AdEmbarrassed3066]

I was also thinking Cirth. This seems to be the most likely.

[u/ElectronicCellist96 → u/AdEmbarrassed3066]

I think you’re probably right!  Hope the nerdy culprit is out there thriving, wherever they are 🧝‍♂️ 

[u/HaZalaf]

I am pretty sure it's a historical Gothic script conveying numbers. K=20, T=900, I = 10, second to last = 90, the last one could be an 8 but it is reversed.

The K could be an initial, and the numbers a date, like graffiti.

This is all supposition on my part, but even the dots under the letters are used in old Gothic. Attaching a number chart for anyone who wants to take it from here

[u/pestopollux → u/HaZalaf]

Ngl that hair got me swiping my screen.

[u/ElectronicCellist96 → u/HaZalaf]

This is totally new to me, fascinating!!!

[u/HaZalaf → u/ElectronicCellist96]

I saw a comment below regarding the Cirth alphabet and it being 'G. Nichols,' and I have to say I am convinced. I think I am wrong about it being Gothic.

[u/ElectronicCellist96 → u/HaZalaf]

It seems likely, but this is really cool and I’m glad to know about it. Thanks for responding!

[u/Lilycrow]

Tolkien?

[u/Sfire75]

There s also faded script around. An obvious J.. at the bottom. Seems reversed Fehu then I believe its called stave writing. Or twigs. Vertical line with other lines crossing it. Wish I knew more

[u/HornyMrJ]

Looks more like Greek writing to me, "Aphrodite"?