8/22/2023 0 Comments Viking runesViking runes were becoming more complicated. You might think this meant the language was becoming simpler, but in fact, the opposite was true. The Elder Futhark Viking rune alphabet ( Public Domain )īy the time of the Viking Age (793 – 1066 AD), the Elder Futhark was gradually replaced by the Younger Futhark. The Elder Futhark has 24 runes and was widely used among the Germanic tribes of northern Europe for centuries leading up to the Viking Age. It first appeared on the Kylver Stone from Gotland, Sweden, which is dated to around 400 AD. It’s called the Elder Futhark because, unsurprisingly, it is the oldest discovered runic system. These are called futharks, after the first 6 letters of the Elder Futhark, which roughly correspond to the letters F, U, Th, A, R and K. There are a few different types of runic alphabets. This is the reason they are more angular in appearance compared to other languages of the time.Ĭollection of Viking runes from a 1597 rune book (Bengt A Lundberg / CC BY SA 2.5 ) The Types of Viking Runes They were usually carved onto harder materials rather than written on parchment or vellum. The runes would be carved on sticks in order to be cast so that people could predict the future. This magical meaning given to runes also meant that they were frequently used as a means of communication between the natural and the supernatural, such as in spells. Viking Runestone Uncovers Climate Fears That Fed Ragnarök Mythīefore the Viking Age, runes were most commonly used for gravestones (Erich Ferdinand / CC BY 2.0 ).Runestone Discovered in Sweden Provides Window Into Viking Past.Because of this, Viking runes were only really used on inscriptions of great importance, such as on runestones that mark graves. Instead, Viking runs had a mystical or magical nature to them. The story of how Odin gained his knowledge shows how the Vikings didn’t see the runes in the same way we see the alphabet. Odin succeeded in his mission and forever after was closely associated with knowledge and wisdom. Odin’s sacrifice was made at great pain and risk to himself, but he knew that the runes conveyed deep meaning, and if he could understand them he would gain an immense amount of knowledge and power. Odin sacrifices himself by hanging from the world tree Yggdrasil (which is inhabited by various creatures), as attested in Hávamál, 1895. Runes of Power and Destruction: Reading the Cursed Runestones of Sweden.Unearthing Ancient Magic in The Runes –Messages with Hidden Symbols and Powerful Numbers. The Norns used the runes to carry that fate up through the trunk and branches of Yggdrasil and out to the nine worlds among its boughs. For this reason, the Well of Urd is known as the ‘source of fate’. According to Norse legend, from this well sprung three Norns, mythical creatures who decided people’s fate. This well was one of three different wells that lay beneath Yggdrasil. The runes were symbols that came from the Well of Urd, or Urðarbrunnr. The story goes that the god Odin impaled his own heart with his spear and hung on the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days and nine nights in order to understand the meanings of the runes. There is a deep and interesting mythology behind Viking runes. It translates as ‘I, Godguest wrote this runic inscription.’ (Lars Gustavsen / CC BY SA 4.0 ) The Mythology of Viking Runes Godguest was here: The inscription on the Einang stone (350–400 AD) is the earliest use of the term ‘rune’. They’re much more interesting than you may realize. Most people know them when they see them, but give no thought to the history or meaning behind them. One captivating aspect of Norse culture is often overlooked: runes. Norse civilization has provided an enormous amount of culture to the world, from its rich history to its vast mythology.
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