runic alphabet, also called futhark
Runes
Runes are the letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets, which were used to write various Germanic languages before the adoption of the Latin alphabet and for specialised purposes thereafter. The Scandinavian variants are also known as futhark or fuþark; the Anglo-S…
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples were an indigenous ethnolinguistic group of Northern European origin identified by Roman-era authors as distinct from neighbouring Celtic peoples, and identified in modern scholarship as speakers, at least for the most part, of early Germanic languages.
Where did the runic alphabet come from?
runic alphabet, also called futhark, writing system of uncertain origin used by Germanic peoples of northern Europe, Britain, Scandinavia, and Iceland from about the 3rd century to the 16th or 17th century ad. Runic writing appeared rather late in the history of writing and is clearly derived from one of the alphabets of the Mediterranean area.
What is the significance of runic runes in Germanic mythology?
Germanic religion and mythology: Runic inscriptions. The runic alphabet was used throughout the Germanic world beginning in about the 1st century ad. The runes had magical and sacral significance. Occasionally one god or another is named; the god Thor may be called upon to hallow a grave.….
What is the difference between the Anglo-Saxon and runic alphabet?
Runic alphabet. The Anglo-Saxon script added letters to the futhark to represent sounds of Old English that did not occur in the languages that had used the Early Germanic script. Anglo-Saxon had 28 letters, and after about 900 ad it had 33. There were also some slight differences in letter shape.
Why are runic inscriptions written from right to left?
Because of its angular letter forms, however, and because early runic inscriptions were written from right to left like the earliest alphabets, runic writing seems to belong to a more ancient system.
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What alphabet did Vikings use?
The runic alphabet, or Futhark, gets its name from its first six sounds (f, u, th, a, r, k), much like the word 'alphabet' derives from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and beta.
Did Vikings use runic?
Runes in the Viking Age The Vikings who traveled the world brought the runes with them. There are runic inscriptions written by Vikings in England and as far away as Greece, Turkey, Russia and Greenland. The runic alphabet of the Viking Age lacks some runes to express all sounds in the language.
Did Germanic tribes use runes?
The runic alphabet is a common Germanic script, it was used by all Germanic tribes, East Germanic, North Germanic, as well as West Germanic tribes. The runic alphabet is a specifically Germanic alphabet, not to be found in languages of other groups.
What was the first runic alphabet?
The Elder Futhark (or Fuþark), also known as the Older Futhark, Old Futhark, or Germanic Futhark, is the oldest form of the runic alphabets. It was a writing system used by Germanic peoples for Northwest Germanic dialects in the Migration Period.
What is Odin's Rune?
The blank rune—the absence of runes—invites the student to reflect on the experience of not-knowing. It is also known as Odin's rune in honor of the All-Father and the patron of runic lore. The blank rune is silence, the zero, the void of infinite possibility. The space between words, the breath before speech.
Are Celtic and Norse runes the same?
They do have similarities, but the differences are many. Both the Norse and Celtic runes were considered as sacred and engraved on wood in the beginning. However, the Norse runes hold protective power; on the other hand, the Celtic runes possess charm and persona.
Did Druids use runes?
I'm sure you know this, or perhaps it's immaterial, but Druids did not use runes. Runes are Germanic/Nordic letters, while Druids are Celtic. Druids used Ogham, in which each letter was the name of a tree, i.e. Oak, Beech, Rowan, etc.
When did the Vikings stop using runes?
15th century“The use of runes in Scandinavia gradually ceased during the 15th century. There are the odd areas of Gotland in Sweden and in Iceland where the rune tradition survived until the 17th century, but in Älvdalen their use was widespread until the early 20th century,” he says.
How did Odin discover runes?
The old poem Hávamál explains that Odin discovered the runes when he hung himself from the world tree Yggdrasil in order to learn wisdom. He hung on the wind-blown tree for nine nights and days. Just as he was about to die, he found the runes, grabbed them and earned his life.
Is runic alphabet still used?
The use of medieval runes mostly disappears in the course of the 14th century. An exception are the Dalecarlian runes, which survived, heavily influenced by the Latin alphabet, into the 19th century. Occasional use of runes also seems to have persisted elsewhere, as evidenced by the 16th-century Faroer Fámjin stone.
Did the Finnish use runes?
In the north they were used by the Norwegian, Swedish and Danish people, their counterparts in Iceland and Greenland and the Sami of Lapland ( northwest Russia and northern Sweden, Norway, and Finland) as well. By 300 AD the runic alphabet was the only alphabet used in Scandinavia.
What is the Viking symbol?
Valknut. The Valknut (Odin's Knot) is a symbol of the transition between life and death and, according to Davidson, "is thought to symbolize the power of the god to bind and unbind" (Gods and Myths, 147).
What is the Viking symbol for luck?
Sleipnir - Nordic Symbol of Traveller's Luck.
Where did Viking runes come from?
Mythic Origins The historical origins of the runes came from the days when Germanic warbands raided people living south of them, in present day Italy. Scholars debate whether the runes were derived from an Old Italic alphabet or perhaps from an Etruscan script.
What is the runic alphabet?
Historically, the runic alphabet is a derivation of the Old Italic scripts of antiquity, with the addition of some innovations. Which variant of the Old Italic branch in particular gave rise to the runes is uncertain. Suggestions include Raetic, Venetic, Etruscan, or Old Latin as candidates.
Who studied the Runes?
Bureus viewed runes as holy or magical in a kabbalistic sense. The study of runes was continued by Olof Rudbeck Sr (1630–1702) and presented in his collection Atlantica. Anders Celsius (1701–1744) further extended the science of runes and travelled around the whole of Sweden to examine the runstenar. From the "golden age of philology " in the 19th century, runology formed a specialized branch of Germanic linguistics .
What is the period of Runic inscriptions?
Runic inscriptions from the 400-year period 150–550 AD are described as "Period I". These inscriptions are generally in Elder Futhark, but the set of letter shapes and bindrunes employed is far from standardized. Notably the j, s, and ŋ runes undergo considerable modifications, while others, such as p and ï, remain unattested altogether prior to the first full futhark row on the Kylver Stone ( c. 400 AD).
Why do runes have names?
Most probably each rune had a name, chosen to represent the sound of the rune itself. The names are, however, not directly attested for the Elder Futhark themselves. Germanic philologists reconstruct names in Proto-Germanic based on the names given for the runes in the later alphabets attested in the rune poems and the linked names of the letters of the Gothic alphabet. For example, the letter /a/ was named from the runic letter called Ansuz. An asterisk before the rune names means that they are unattested reconstructions. The 24 Elder Futhark runes are:
What do runes mean?
Although some say the runes were used for divination, there is no direct evidence to suggest they were ever used in this way. The name rune itself, taken to mean "secret, something hidden", seems to indicate that knowledge of the runes was originally considered esoteric, or restricted to an elite. The 6th-century Björketorp Runestone warns in Proto-Norse using the word rune in both senses:
What is a rune?
Runes ( Proto-Germanic *rūnō 'rune'; *rūna-stabaz 'runic letter') are the letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets, which were used to write various Germanic languages before the adoption of the Latin alphabet and for specialised purposes thereafter .
Why are runes used in the Hobbit?
In J. R. R. Tolkien 's novel The Hobbit (1937), the Anglo-Saxon runes are used on a map to emphasize its connection to the Dwarves. They also were used in the initial drafts of The Lord of the Rings, but later were replaced by the Cirth rune-like alphabet invented by Tolkien, used to write the language of the Dwarves, Khuzdul. Following Tolkien, historical and fictional runes appear commonly in modern popular culture, particularly in fantasy literature, but also in other forms of media such as video games (for example the 1992 video game Heimdall used it as "magical symbols" associated with unnatural forces) and role-playing games, such as Metagaming 's The Fantasy Trip, which used rune-based cipher for clues and jokes throughout its publications.
What is the origin of the Runic alphabet?
Runic alphabet. Little is known about the origins of the Runic alphabet, which is traditionally known as futhark after the first six letters. The Runic alphabet may have been based on an early version of the Greek alphabet. A number of letters resemble those used in early Greek alphabet. Alternatively it may have developed from one ...
When did the Runic alphabet start?
The earliest known Runic inscriptions date from the 1st century AD, but the vast majority of Runic inscriptions date from the 11th century.
What is the oldest version of the Runic alphabet?
Elder Futhark is thought to be the oldest version of the Runic alphabet, and was used in the parts of Europe which were home to Germanic peoples, including Scandinavia. Other versions probably developed from it. The names of the letters are shown in Common Germanic, the reconstructed ancestor of all Germanic languages.
What are the inscriptions on a grave stone?
grave stone inscriptions, often with who carved the runes and who was buried, and also who made sure the stone was raised. (Later grave slabs or stone coffins were sometimes inscribed with Christian texts carved in runes) religious/magic inscriptions: prayers and curses, formulas on charms, etc.
Where does the word "rune" come from?
The word rune comes from the Old Norse word rún (secret, runic letter), from the Proto-Norse ᚱᚢᚾᛟ runo (secret, mystery, rune), from the Proto-Germanic rūnō (secret, mystery, rune), from Proto-Indo-European *rewHn- (to roar; grumble; murmur; mumble; whisper) [ source ].
What are trade inscriptions?
The trade inscriptions are often carved on wooden rune sticks. Political inscriptions are to do with matters of the law, historical figures state that they were somewhere hiding from the enemy, secret messages to do with the fighting of wars, etc. personal letters: love letters, greetings between friends, proposals, etc.
What are religious inscriptions?
religious/magic inscriptions: prayers and curses, formulas on charms, etc.
Who discovered the Runes?
McCoy, D (2018). Odin’s Discovery of the Runes. Norse Mythology for Smart People. Retrieved from https://norse-mythology.org/tales/odins-discovery-of-the-runes/
What are the runes of the younger Futhark?
Phonetically, the runes of the Younger Futhark were working double-duty to cover the changes that were differentiating the Norse tongues from that of other Germanic peoples. Younger Futhark can be further divided into styles, including the 'long branch' (Danish) and the 'short twig' (Swedish and Norwegian) runes: ᚬ. ᚱ.
Why did Odin sacrifice?
Odin made his sacrifice at great anguish and risk to himself because he knew that the runes conveyed deep meaning, and if he could understand their meaning he would gain profound wisdom and power.
What are runes made of?
Rather than being penned on vellum or parchment, runes were usually carved on wood, bone, or stone, hence their angular appearance.
Why are runes important?
Instead, runes were for inscriptions of great importance. They could be carved into rune stones to commemorate ancestors and mark the graves of heroes.
How many runestones have been found?
Roughly 50 runestones have been found. Runestones were often raised next to grave sites within the Viking era of 950-1100AD. Some of the raised runestones first appear in the fourth and fifth century in Norway and Sweden. And in Denmark as early as the eighth and ninth century. However, most of them were found in Sweden.
Why do Vikings use Elder version?
Most of today's Viking rune jewelry uses the Elder version simply because letters translate easier to the English alphabet.
Overview
Runes are the letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were used to write various Germanic languages (with some exceptions) before they adopted the Latin alphabet, and for specialised purposes thereafter. In addition to representing a sound value (a phoneme), runes can be used to represent the concepts after which they are n…
Name
The name stems from a Proto-Germanic form reconstructed as *rūnō, which may be translated as 'secret, mystery; secret conversation; rune'. It is the source of Gothic rūna (𐍂𐌿𐌽𐌰, 'secret, mystery, counsel'), Old English rún ('whisper, mystery, secret, rune'), Old Saxon rūna ('secret counsel, confidential talk'), Middle Dutch rūne ('id'), Old High German rūna ('secret, mystery'), and Old Norse rún ('sec…
History and use
The runes were in use among the Germanic peoples from the 1st or 2nd century AD. This period corresponds to the late Common Germanic stage linguistically, with a continuum of dialects not yet clearly separated into the three branches of later centuries: North Germanic, West Germanic, and East Germanic.
No distinction is made in surviving runic inscriptions between long and short v…
Runic alphabets
The Elder Futhark, used for writing Proto-Norse, consists of 24 runes that often are arranged in three groups of eight; each group is referred to as an Ætt (Old Norse, meaning 'clan, group'). The earliest known sequential listing of the full set of 24 runes dates to approximately AD 400 and is found on the Kylver Stone in Gotland, Sweden.
Differences from Roman script
While Roman script would ultimately replace runes in most contexts, it differed significantly from runic script. For example, on the differences between the use of Anglo-Saxon runes and the Latin script that would come to replace them, runologist Victoria Symons says:
As well as being distinguished from the roman alphabet in visual appearance and letter order, the fuþorc is further set apart by the fact that, unlike their roman counterparts, runic letters are ofte…
Use as ideographs (Begriffsrunen)
In addition to their historic use as letters in the runic alphabets, runes were also used to represent their names (ideographs). Such instances are sometimes referred to by way of the modern German loan word Begriffsrunen, meaning 'concept-runes' (singular Begriffsrune). The criteria for the use of Begriffsrunen and the frequency of their use by ancient rune-writers remains controversial. The topic of Begriffsrunen has produced much discussion among runologists. Ru…
Academic study
The modern study of runes was initiated during the Renaissance, by Johannes Bureus (1568–1652). Bureus viewed runes as holy or magical in a kabbalistic sense. The study of runes was continued by Olof Rudbeck Sr (1630–1702) and presented in his collection Atlantica. Anders Celsius (1701–1744) further extended the science of runes and travelled around the whole of Sweden to examine the runstenar. From the "golden age of philology" in the 19th century, runolog…
Body of inscriptions
The largest group of surviving Runic inscription are Viking Age Younger Futhark runestones, commonly found in Denmark and Sweden. Another large group are medieval runes, most commonly found on small objects, often wooden sticks. The largest concentration of runic inscriptions are the Bryggen inscriptions found in Bergen, more than 650 in total. Elder Futhark inscriptions number around 350…
Notable Features
- The direction of writing in early Runic inscriptions is variable. Later they settled down into a left to right pattern
- Word divisions were not generally recognised in Runic writing, although one or more dots were occasionally used for this function.
Types of Runic Inscriptions Include
- 'Hrolf was here' type inscriptions on cliff walls, largerocks and buildings
- grave stone inscriptions, often with who carved the runes andwho was buried, and also who made sure the stone was raised.(Later grave slabs or stone coffins were sometimes inscribed withChristian t...
- religious/magic inscriptions: prayers and curses, formulas oncharms, etc.
- 'Hrolf was here' type inscriptions on cliff walls, largerocks and buildings
- grave stone inscriptions, often with who carved the runes andwho was buried, and also who made sure the stone was raised.(Later grave slabs or stone coffins were sometimes inscribed withChristian t...
- religious/magic inscriptions: prayers and curses, formulas oncharms, etc.
- inscriptions related to trade and politics: There are many examplesof trade communication: stock orders and descriptions, excuses fornot having payed on time, trade name tags for bags or cases of p...
Elder Futhark
- Elder Futhark is thought to be the oldest version of the Runic alphabet, and was used in the parts of Europe which were home to Germanic peoples, including Scandinavia. Other versions probably developed from it. The names of the letters are shown in Common Germanic, the reconstructed ancestor of all Germanic languages.
Younger Futhark
- Younger Futhark or "Normal Runes" gradually evolved Elder Futhark over a period of many years and stabilized by about 800 A.D., the beginning of the Viking Age. It was the main alphabet in Norway, Sweden and Denmark throughout the Viking Age, but was largely though not completely replaced by the Latin alphabet by about 1200 as a result of the conversion of most of Scandinav…
Medieval (Latinised) Futhark
- After the arrival of Christianity in Scandinavia, the Runic alphabet was Latinised and was used occasionally, mainly for decoration, until 1850. Thanks to Niklas Dougherty for some of the information on this page.
Sample Text - Lord's Prayer in Old Norse
- Transliteration
Faðer uor som ast i himlüm, halgað warðe þit nama. Tilkomme þit rikie. Skie þin uilie so som i himmalan so oh bo iordanne. Wort dahliha broð gif os i dah. Oh forlat os uora skuldar so som oh ui forlate þem os skuüldihi are. Oh inleð os ikkie i frestalsan utan frels os ifra ondo. Tü rikiað ar …
Links
- Information about the Runic alphabets http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_alphabet http://www.arild-hauge.com/eindex.htm http://www.tha-engliscan-gesithas.org.uk/runes/ http://www.tarahill.com/runes/ http://ramm.co.nf/Runestaves.htm http://www.heathenhof.com/how-to-write-old-norse-in-runes/ Nytt om runer: Meldingsblad om ru…
Alphabets
- A-chik Tokbirim, Adinkra, Adlam, Armenian, Avestan, Avoiuli, Bassa (Vah), Beitha Kukju, Borama / Gadabuursi, Carian, Carpathian Basin Rovas, Chinuk pipa, Chisoi, Coorgi-Cox, Coptic, Cyrillic, Dalecarlian runes, Deseret, Elbasan, Etruscan, Faliscan, Galik, Georgian (Asomtavruli), Georgian (Nuskhuri), Georgian (Mkhedruli), Glagolitic, Global Alphabet, Gothic, Greek, Irish (Uncial), Kaddar…