Elder Futhark - Introduction to the Runes

The Runes are a series of ideograms with a high symbolic value of veneration and worship. These are inscriptions or engravings that today we can find in European territories with Germanic, Nordic and Iberian influence.

The Runes have their origin in the divine. It is said that it was Odhinn (Wotan, in German) who obtained them through a sacrifice (for nine days and nine nights), through which he obtained knowledge and wisdom from him. Although these symbols are related to occult methods, they have a close relationship with the symbolic, anthropological and psychological sphere.

They are a reflection of the proto-language of the Germanic peoples, being a type of original writing whose age easily reaches several hundred years above the commonly accepted dates. Although some authors such as Guido von List claim that originally the Runes come from much further back.

To prepare this document, we start from the idea that historically there have been three types of Rune codification: Elder Futhark, Anglo-Saxon or Frisian Row and The Norse (Younger) Futhark. Although the three correspond to each other, the last two types apparently are variations of the Elder Futhark type Runes.

Runes were also used for ornamental, artistic or esoteric purposes by oracles in the magical tradition of pagan Nordic societies. And very late they were even used as letters, in the sense that we give to our writing symbols today.

Content table

• Elder Futhark Runes 

  • 1st row of runes 

  • 2nd row of runes 

  • 3rd row of runes 

References

• Futhark: A Handbook Of Rune Magic — Eldred Throsson