Runes

Definition

The angular letters of the Germanic and Norse alphabets (Elder Futhark, Younger Futhark, Anglo-Saxon Futhorc), used historically for inscription and ritually for divination.

Origin

The Elder Futhark, with 24 runes, was used by Germanic peoples from c. 150 CE. The Younger Futhark (16 runes) emerged in Viking Age Scandinavia (c. 800 CE). The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc expanded to 33 runes in early medieval England.

Development

Tacitus (Germania, 98 CE) describes Germanic divination using marked sticks cast on white cloth, the earliest external account of rune-casting. Modern rune divination was largely reconstructed in the 20th century from this fragment and from edited Eddas; it is not an unbroken tradition.

In Practice

Modern practice casts a single rune for daily guidance, three runes (past-present-future or norn spread), or nine runes scattered for fuller reading. Each rune has a name (e.g., Fehu, Ansuz, Raidho) with semantic and phonetic meanings used in interpretation.

Deeper Reading

Modern runic practice mixes scholarly reconstruction (Stephan Grundy, Edred Thorsson) with creative spirituality (Ralph Blum's controversial 1982 The Book of Runes). Critics argue Blum invented meanings; defenders argue meaning-making is itself a legitimate ongoing tradition.

See Also

• Futhark
• runic alphabet
• runas
• rune