CHAPTER 1

Origin of the Runes

Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that,you can make anything happen.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

In the Beginning

Since ancient times, our ancestors have used symbols to communicatewith the outside world. They learned from observing allaspects of nature and adapted to changes in their lives in orderto survive. They also used many different symbols and signs fordivination and magic.

It is not known how old Runes are, but Rune markings appearon cave paintings dated from about 1330 BC. Runes fell intodisuse as Roman alphabets became the preferred script of mostof Europe.

Runic lettering first appeared among German tribes inCentral and Eastern Europe. The Anglo-Saxon Runes aredescended from the Elder Futhark, which originated inScandinavia. They were also used by the northern Germanictribes of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Northern Germany.

Runes were used long before the concept of writing wasaround. Our ancestors saw Runes as powerful aids to divinationand magic, able to influence the forces of nature and workcharms of fertility and healing. Runes were also used in castingspells, to gain a kiss from a would-be loved one or to pay back anenemy.

Runes are actually alphabetic symbols used for writing. Theywere found on door posts, property markers, swords, shields,tombstones and even on Viking warships. The Norse used Runiccharacters mostly for practical purposes, such as marking graves,identifying property, combs or helmets, making calendars andencoding secret messages.

The Elder Futhark - ca. 150 to 800 AD

The Elder Futhark is sometimes known as 'Common GermanicFuthark' or Longer Rune-Row.

The Elder Futhark is the oldest version of Runic lettering. Itfirst emerged around 200 AD and was used in the parts of Europewhich were home to the Germanic people, includingScandinavia. It was known as the Futhark after the first six Runes- Fehu, Uruz, THurisaz, Ansuz, Raido, and Kauno.

It is known that the Germanic peoples in Europe used pictographicsymbols that were scratched into rocks. As the Runesconsisted of straight lines, it made them easier to carve into woodor stone.

By 400 AD, use of a common set of twenty-four Runes(beginning with F and ending with O) had spread acrossNorthern Europe.

As time passed, new Runes were added as the need arose; atdifferent times and locations, various versions of the Futharkemerged, including up to thirty-eight symbols. Gradually, thetwenty-four Anglo-Saxon Futhark became standard and wasgrouped into three sets of eight, known as Aetts.

The Younger Futhark - 800 to 1110 AD

The Younger Futhark is also known as the 'Scandinavian Runes'and is believed to have been in use from around about 800 AD. Itwas the main alphabet in Norway, Sweden and Denmarkthroughout the Viking Age.

The forms of the Runes were altered and made easier tounderstand at a time when there were phonetic changes to thespoken language. Nine of the original Elder Futhark were alsodropped.

The Younger Futhark is a reduced form of the Elder Futharkcomprising of only 16 characters and divided into two sets, LongBranch (Danish) and Short Twig (Swedish/Norwegian) Runes.

The difference between the two versions has been the subjectof controversy. It is believed that the Long Branch Runes wereused for stone carvings and the Short Branch Runes were ineveryday use for private and officially carved messages on wood.

Long Branch (top line)

(also called Danish Runes, even though Swedes and Norwegiansused it)

Short Twig or Rök Runes (middle line)

(also called Swedish-Norwegian Runes, even though the Danishused it)

The bottom line in the diagram below shows the Runessounds.

The Younger Futhark became known in Europe as the 'Alphabet ofthe Norsemen' and was studied and used for trade and diplomaticcontacts.

Anglo-Saxon Futhorc - 400 to 1100 AD

The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc descended from the Elder Futhark andcontained between 26 and 33 Runes.

Runes were brought to Britain in the 5th century by theAngles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians. Extra letters were added tothe Runic lettering to write Anglo-Saxon/Old English and theAnglo-Saxon Futhorc was developed.

Runic inscriptions are mostly found on jewellery, weapons,stones and other objects. Very few examples of Runic writing onmanuscripts have survived.

In the beginning, the Futhorc thrived as a writing system.However, its developing complexity led to increasingly complicatedforms that must have been more difficult to carve and it didnot survive. The Latin alphabet replaced the Futhorc around the9th century, and did not survive much past the Norman Conquestof 1066. The Futhorc continued to be used in Scandinavia until1600.

Creation of the Runes

There have been many theories initiated over who created theRunes. One I have come across many times is about the GodOdin.

In Norse mythology, Odin (also known as Woden or Wotan) isthe chief God. Odin and his wife, Frigg, are rulers of Asgard,which is one of the Nine Worlds. Odin is a son of Bor and Bestla.Odin is a God of war and death, but also the God of poetry andwisdom. Odin had many sons, the most memorable one beingThor, God of thunder.

Odin's quest for knowledge was never ending. Norse legendsand myths tell tales of him wandering the world in search ofknowledge on his eight-legged white horse, Sleipnir. He also hadtwo ravens, Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory), who sat onhis shoulders and circled the Earth each day, seeing all and thenflying home at night to report what they had learnt.

On his travels, Odin met three women called Norns sitting ata well, busy spinning threads of fate for the Gods and mankind.As they spun their yarns, Urd, Verdandi and Skuld revealed toOdin many secrets of the distant past and the future. Odin waskeen to learn more about seeing into the future, and the threesisters pointed him to the Giant Mimir at the Spring of Wisdom.Mimir is the giant in Norse mythology who guards the 'Well of theHighest Wisdom', situated in Jotunheim under the roots ofYggdrasil: the World Tree.

Odin rode to Jotunheim to meet the Giant Mimir, but Mimirdid not want to give his knowledge so easily, so Odin pledged hisleft eye to Mimir for the privilege of...