The Runes
A brief history on the Runes: Early Rune inscriptions date from around 150 A.D. The Runes are popularly regarded as the alphabet of the Scandinavian peoples until Christianization led to the replacement of the letters with the Latin alphabet around 700 A.D. in central Europe and 1100 A.D. in northern Europe.
The Runic alphabet is called the "Futhark" after the first six letters of the alphabet. The three best known Futharks are the Elder Futhark dating from 150-800 A.D.; the Younger Futhark, dating from 800-1100 A.D., which is divided into the Danish long branch Runes and the Swedish-Norwegian short branch Runes; and the Anglo-Saxon Futhark, dating from 400-1100 A.D. , which are my Runes of choice. The original source of the Runic alphabet is supposed by scholars to be ancient Italic alphabets, but there is another possible source.
Ancient Shamans, Visionaries, and Seers have been given symbols to use for healing (modern examples are Reiki and Ama Deus healing methods), weather working, maintaining fertility of the fields and game animals, and the good luck of the tribe. The symbols that make up the FUTHARK relate excellently to this theory. Examples would be Fehu for Wealth and Abundance, Wynja for Joy and Happiness, or Bjarka and Ing for Fertility of marriage and garden.
Each of the Futharks contain a number of Runic symbols that hold specific meanings. The Elder Futhark contains 24, theYounger Futhark contains 16, and the Anglo-Saxon Futhark contains 33. The Runes are cast for purposes of divination or carved into a Runescript to magically achieve a certain purpose by an individual skilled in their use.
The Runic alphabet is called the "Futhark" after the first six letters of the alphabet. The three best known Futharks are the Elder Futhark dating from 150-800 A.D.; the Younger Futhark, dating from 800-1100 A.D., which is divided into the Danish long branch Runes and the Swedish-Norwegian short branch Runes; and the Anglo-Saxon Futhark, dating from 400-1100 A.D. , which are my Runes of choice. The original source of the Runic alphabet is supposed by scholars to be ancient Italic alphabets, but there is another possible source.
Ancient Shamans, Visionaries, and Seers have been given symbols to use for healing (modern examples are Reiki and Ama Deus healing methods), weather working, maintaining fertility of the fields and game animals, and the good luck of the tribe. The symbols that make up the FUTHARK relate excellently to this theory. Examples would be Fehu for Wealth and Abundance, Wynja for Joy and Happiness, or Bjarka and Ing for Fertility of marriage and garden.
Each of the Futharks contain a number of Runic symbols that hold specific meanings. The Elder Futhark contains 24, theYounger Futhark contains 16, and the Anglo-Saxon Futhark contains 33. The Runes are cast for purposes of divination or carved into a Runescript to magically achieve a certain purpose by an individual skilled in their use.