Runes- The alphabet of Odin

Part one- the history of the Rune alphabet

More of this Feature• Part Two-Divination with Runes

According to the Eddas, the poetic saga of the Norse Gods, the Runic alphabet was a gift from Odin. The word ‘rune’ means ‘whisper,’ or ‘secret wisdom.’ A selection from the Eddas tells of their discovery. Odin hangs for nine nights upon the world tree, wounded, without food or water; finally, he sees the reflection of the runes in the water:

“Wounded I hung on a wind-swept gallows For nine long nights, Pierced by a spear, pledged to Odhinn, Offered, myself to myself The wisest know not from whence spring The roots of that ancient rood.

They gave me no bread, They gave me no mead, I looked down; with a loud cry I took up runes; from that tree I fell.”

The runes originated around 200 B.C.E., as magical symbols engraved in stone; they were developed into the first Rune alphabet, the “elder” Futhark (‘futhark’ being a transliteration of the first six letters), an alphabet of twenty four characters. Many permutations and revisions over the years produced several variants, including the ‘elder’ and ‘younger’ futhark, and the Danish “short twig” script. Eventually, the sixteen character alphabet became the most commonly used.

An epic “Rune poem,” written in Old English around 1000 C.E., outlined the metaphorical and divinatory meanings of the characters, which at that time numbered at thirty three.

The following table gives the characters of the Elder futhark and their divinatory meanings:

Rune:	name:	divinatory meaning:
	Fehu	Money, finances, possessions; material goods or wealth
	Uruz	Strength; virility
	Thurisaz	Gateway, beginning
	Ansuz	A message or signal, a secret; speech
	Raido	Travel, sojourn, movement
	Kaunaz	Openings, shedding light on something, fire
	Gibo	A gift or blessing, partnerships
	Wunjo	Joy; happiness, illumination
	Hagalaz	Disruption, chaos, shattering of illusion
	Nauthiz	Pain, confinement, limitation
	Isa	Inaction
	Jera	Fertility, harvesting, returns; reaping what you’ve sown
	Eihwaz	Protection, defense; also withdrawl or barriers
	Perth	Secrets, initiations, occult or hidden things
	Algiz	Defense, protection
	Sowelu	Completion, perfection
	Teiwaz (Tyr)	Victory, conquest
	Berkana	Renewal, rebirth, new beginnings
	Ehwaz	Overcoming barriers, movement, progression
	Mannaz	The self, humanity
	Leguz	Water, sea, motherhood; intuition
	Inguz	Fertility, birth, beginnings
	Dagaz	Sunlight, enlightenment
	Othela	The home, hearth, possessions