Wednesday, 17. August 2005
Runes

Runes are an ancient Germanic alphabet, used for writing, divination and magick. They were used throughout northern Europe, Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland from about 100 B.C.E. to 1600 C.E. Runic inscriptions of great age have even been found in North America, supporting stories that the Vikings arrived in the Americas long before Columbus.

Tacitus, in Chapter X of his Germania, describes a form of divination used by Germanic tribes:

"To divination and casting of lots, they pay attention beyond any other people. Their method of casting lots is a simple one: they cut a branch from a fruit-bearing tree and divide it into small pieces which they mark with certain distinctive signs and scatter at random onto a white cloth. Then, the priest of the community if the lots are consulted publicly, or the father of the family if it is done privately, after invoking the gods and with eyes raised to heaven, picks up three pieces, one at a time, and interprets them according to the signs previously marked upon them."
I've been working with Runes since 1994, when I was introduced to their use at a family reunion. I'm of Norse heritage. I believe that this is why I found a natural affinity to runes, although one certainly does not need to be Scandinavian to use them.

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© Oswald the Runemaker


Runes are an oracle from which one seeks advice. They work best if you detail your current circumstances and then ask a specific question. Rune readings are sometimes obscure. They hint toward answers, but you have to figure out the details. This is when the rune casters intuition becomes paramount. Some times the Runes "sing" to me, and their meaning becomes instantly clear.

Runes, Alphabet of Mystery
Explain everything about runes


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© Oswald the Runemaker

The first step in understanding rune lore is the understanding of the concept rune. Runes were in use by the Nordic and Germanic tribes of Northern Europe. A rune is not merely a letter in an old Germanic alphabet, but it bears the primary definition of "secret" or "mysteries." There were many different runic alphabets in use throughout Northern Europe over the centuries. The most common is the Germanic or Elder Futhark. This system may have begun as early as 200 B.C.E. The Elder Futhark contains 24 letters divided into three groups of eight, called Ætt (aettir, plural). The first eight is called Freyja's Ætt, the second Heimdall's Ætt and the third Tyr's Ætt.


Futhark Runes
Study of the Runic Elder Futhark and norse mythology.


The Futhark Alphabet, which is essentially a set of glyphs representing sounds and ideas, is derived from the Hieroglyphs of the remote Ancient Egyptians. The term "Hieroglyph" was coined by the Ancient Greeks to describe the "Sacred Writings" of the Ancient Egyptians. Hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt, which represented sounds and ideas, were considered "Sacred" not only in the religious sense, but also because they conveyed a "Secret Meaning".

Ancient Egyptians and the Futhark Alphabet
An exploration of the Ancient Egyptian origins of the Runic glyphs and their astronomical meanings.

Click on a rune icon or rune name to find out its meaning: Rune Caster by Hyperflame.
Free online runecast with viking runes icons and information.


Oswald the Runemaker
Historical and modern runes, runemaking, and artistic interpretations and products. Includes photographs and descriptions of rune monuments.

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© Oswald the Runemaker

Category: Readings & Divination | Tarot & Oracles |


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