The 24 magical runes were revealed to him when death was drawing near. He then mortally hurt himself with a spear and hung from a tree for 2 days and 2 nights. It is said that Odin had to renounce an eye in order to be able to drink from the spring of wisdom. Odin was always in search of absolute knowledge but this knowledge could not be attained by the simplistic human senses. He was revered to be the highest magician. The mythological origin of Runes has always been associated with the god of magic and wisdom, Odin. The origin of the runic alphabet is shrouded in mystery. Not all the original names of each rune are known and the names we do know have been reconstructed from Common Germanic and Old English. The runic alphabet is also called “futhark” are the first 6 letters in the alphabet which are: Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raidho and Kaunan. They can be written from left to right and right to left.

Runes are generally made up of vertical lines with branches or ‘twigs’ jutting out diagonally, upwards, downwards or in a curve. Runes were replaced by the Latin alphabet over 1000 years ago but their use has persisted for other specialised purposes such as decoration, divination and protection. Runes are not just a means of communication by written and spoken language. The first developed system of writing was using the runic alphabet. This alphabet was used to write various Germanic languages before the adoption of the Latin alphabet. Runes are letters in what’s known as the runic alphabet. In this post you are going to learn what runes are, their history, meaning and why you should travel with them.

Get ordained online with American Marriage Ministries to become a minister today, and learn how to marry friends and family in a beautiful, authentic ceremony.īelow, you’ll find each of the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark, along with its individual meaning.The sacred marks of the runic alphabet are one of the earliest forms of writing and were used as carved protective symbols that bring luck and protection to those who carried them. When used intentionally as part of a Pagan wedding ritual, including Viking weddings, runes are said to bless a marriage with wealth and good health, fertility, wisdom and strength, protection from evil outside forces, and years of love and happiness. You may even see them placed on the walls or floors of a wedding venue as part of casting a circle. You’ll find runes printed on wedding invitations, etched into wedding bands, wedding crowns, and pieces of heirloom jewelry, and painted on wedding altars and arches. (See Handfasting Ceremony Scripts and Pagan Weddings Scripts in our Library) Runes can be engraved on wedding bands or wedding swordsīecause of their symbolism and visual beauty, as well as their role in Pagan ritual and magic, runes are frequently seen at Viking weddings as part of the marriage rite, and at Wiccan and Pagan handfastings. They have since been used by Wiccans, Hedge Witches, Neo Druids, Heathens and other modern Pagans.Įach character represents a sound which can be placed together to spell words and create a story, or read on its own to symbolize a unique concept, object, or action. They were carved into stone and metal for protection, ritual magic, casting and divination, vengeance, and to share stories of harvest, gods, and battle.įirst used by Germanic and Scandinavian peoples, including the Vikings in northern Europe, it’s speculated that the Futhark runes became popular in the first or second century A.D. These runes are known by scholars as the Elder Futhark, and are thought to be one of the oldest forms of runic alphabet. Norse runes are powerful symbols with an ancient and magical history. Norse runes can be used in Pagan wedding decor, on the ceremony altar, added to invitations, and more

Elder futhark rune protection