Runic alphabets provided a brief background about the mystical lettering systems used by the Germanic people in ancient and medieval times. Variations of the Runes

Rune Magic Variations of the Runes The runes were set of Germanic alphabets that were used by the North German tribes, from the 2nd century BC to the 13th century AD. The runic alphabets were often called “Futhark”, which is derived from the first six runic letters of the runic alphabets (F-U-TH-A-R-K). There are three different variations of the Runic alphabets. The Etruscan or the Latin alphabets probably influenced the runic scripts in the 2nd or 1st century BC, particularly when that some of runes match the Latin alphabets in form. The Teutonic (Early or Common Germanic) scripts consisted of 24 characters. It was used in northern Europe, right up to the 8th century AD. The image on the right, I have shown the Early or Common runes (with the English equivalents to the sound, written in white). The Anglian or Anglo-Saxon scripts, also known as Futhork, varied in number, from 28 to 33 characters. The additional characters in the Anglian runes were used to compensate for the Old English sounds that does not appeared in the Early Futhark runes. These scripts were used in the British Isle, from the 5th to the 12th century AD. (Click here to see the Anglian runes.) There are two variations of the Anglo-Saxon scripts. With Frisian runes, 4 new scripts were added to the Early Futhark: ac, ae, o (os), and yr. Then another five were added to the Anglo-Saxon runes; the extra runes known as the Northumbrian runes included: q, k, st, and gar. The third variation was the Nordic (Scandinavian) runes, is called the Younger Futhark, which was used in Scandinavia, including Iceland, between the 8th and 13th century AD. More than half of the runic inscriptions discovered, were found in Sweden. The Nordic scripts had originally contained the same 24 characters of the Early runes, but had gradually reduced them to 16 characters. There are two variations of the Nordic runes: Short-twig and Danish. The illustration on the left is the Danish variation of the Nordic scripts. The following scripts have remained unchanged from the Teutonic scripts: f, u, th, r, k, n, i, t, b and l. The Short-twig have the same number of characters as the Danish variation, yet it has simplified the Danish scripts. Simplified as in some stroke were truncated. For now, I don’t have a diagram on the list of Short-twig scripts. Rune Magic Runes have magical significance, where certain arrangement of the rune letters allow the person to wield sorcery. Runes were often used as a ward or charm. Odin tried to learn the magic of the runes, hoping to find a secret that will help in Ragnarok. (See Sacrifice: Hanging and Runes about Odin’s sacrifice in order to learn the secret of runic magic.) The Valkyrie Sigrdrifa in Sigrdrifumal (Poetic Edda) or Brynhild in Volsungassaga, had taught the hero Sigurd some magic with the use of these runes. Runes were often used as a ward or charm, particularly on swords and spear. There are archaeological evidences of such runes on weapons with the name of Tyr (Tiwaz), the god of war – , which is similar to the English letter “t”, or that of the name of Odin (Wodan), inscribed on blades, hilts or spear shafts. The rune Tyr signified victory in battle. Brynhild or Sigrdrifa told Sigurd that the victory runes, inscribing the Tyr rune twice ( ) on the swordhilt and twice on the centre ridge of the blade. The another recognisable rune ward is ale-runes, which was marked with the runic inscription naud – , which sounds like the English letter “n”. This was marked on the drinking horn, and it protect a man from being guiled by another man’s wife. Other magic runes the Valkyrie had mentioned in both works are: speech-runes, mind-runes, helping-runes (most likely the same as aid-runes), healing-runes, cure-runes (botrúnar), branch-runes, beech-runes (bokrúnar), wave-runes (used on a ship). Runes can also be used as a warning, as it was the case, when Gudrun carved some runic scripts on her ring (Andvaranaut) to warn her brothers about the treachery of her second husband, Atli. (See Volsunga Saga.) The runes were also used for divination. Runes could be use to foretell the future in much the same way as the methods of casting lots, numerology and the tarot cards. The Roman historian Tactius, recorded that the Germanic tribes used casting lots for divinatory purpose. The used barks or small piece of woods, which they marked symbols (possibly runes?) on. These were then cast on the white cloth. Three symbols were chosen, and the priest or shaman would interpret these three symbols.