Rune script symbols are ancient symbols used by various Germanic and Norse cultures in Europe during the early medieval period. These symbols were typically carved onto stones or wood and were believed to hold inherent magical properties. Each symbol had a specific meaning and represented a concept or idea. While the exact meanings of some symbols may vary between cultures, there are some commonly accepted interpretations. For instance, the symbol Ansuz represents the deity Odin and is associated with communication, inspiration, and wisdom. It is often associated with poetic and musical abilities.
As the number of runes continues to increase, this guide has now been split into multiple categories. Whilst it is difficult to categorise the Eldar runes, I have attempted to do so based on common themes, drawing on information in the June 2013 issue of White Dwarf, Gav Thorpe's views on the Eldar language and the context that the designs are used in:
Some rune designs have been superseded or repurposed through the years, but I have included older runes and discarded meanings for the sake of completeness. If you ve ever done a quick Google search on the occult, or divination, or even spirit communication, you might have come across these rigid, straight-lined symbols.
It is often associated with poetic and musical abilities. Conversely, the Raido symbol represents a journey or travel and is commonly interpreted as a symbol of change or movement. Another widely recognized symbol is the Inguz rune, which represents fertility and new beginnings.
Runic Magic: The Origin of Runes
If you’ve ever done a quick Google search on the occult, or divination, or even spirit communication, you might have come across these rigid, straight-lined symbols. You may also have seen them if you’ve dug into your computer’s character map and seen the symbols in Unicode.
This is the runic alphabet, or Elder Futhark. The modern computer language is not quite like the original, but it is a compromised version somewhere between a scholarly and amateur interpretation.
So, what are runes? And why aren’t they called letters, or characters, if they’re just another alphabet? Simply put - because they’re something more than letters.
There are 24 runes, and each one has a name. The names are almost always based on the first sound of each symbol. The runes comprise the runic alphabet, called “futhark” after the first six: Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raidho and Kaunan. If this is surprisingly simple, it's worth nothing the word “alphabet” comes from the names of the first two Semitic letters of Aleph and Beth. Not all the original names of each rune are known, and the names we know them by now are reconstructed from Common Germanic and Old English.
Runes are not just a means of communication by written and spoken language. The word “rune” itself means secret, or mystery. The characters themselves each contain their own magical attributes, and each rune’s pronunciation, not just the visual symbols, carries meaning as well. In this way, they are symbols with significance, a visual representation of spoken magic. The words the runes make up, therefore, contain new, or more meaning and intention in the sounds they create when spoken.
The Origin of Runes:
The Elder Futhark is the oldest form of the runic alphabets, and its first use dates back to between the first and second centuries. It is 2000 years old! It was a writing system used by early Germanic tribes for several centuries before the Vikings. The symbols appear in carved inscriptions on mostly stone, but also found on wood, boulders and metal. The design of each rune is written with straight lines - designed specifically for being hand-carved, not written with ink.
The Germanic tribespeople believed not that the runes were invented, so much as they were eternal; pre-existing their known world, as they each carry a significance beyond just their pronunciation.
As the northern European tribes migrated and moved toward Scandinavia around the 8th Century, the language was simplified, took on a slightly different look and became the Younger Futhark, the written language of the Vikings.
Ancient rune stones are mostly large, upright standing stones, carved with pictures and runic inscriptions. They’re seen primarily in Scandinavia, (where they exist in the thousands!) with some discovered in England, Scotland, Ireland and the Faroe Islands as well. The Norsemen who created these stones took their culture with them where they raided and conquered, and the use of runestones is no exception.
The Younger Futhark remained in use until the 17th Century before its understanding was lost to history. In 1865 it was deciphered again, and since then, the runes have gained a lot of popularity.
The runes have always been associated with the god Odin, even as they was being utilized by the early Germanic tribes. Odin, a dominant god in a pantheon of many at that time, moved north with the people and their beliefs. He was revered to be the highest magician, and as the cults of Odin rose to power, the runes and the runestones remained under his magical domain.
Runic magic is most notably mentioned in the Poetic Edda, a Medieval manuscript of Old Norse Poems. Other collections of similar poems include using various runes for divination, and applying the symbols to objects to invoke a specific aspect or god. A significant use of this form of magic are Icelandic magical staves, or sigils, that supposedly had magical effects, written in grimoires dating from the 17th Century and later.
Historically, the early Germanic tribes did in fact partake in the ritual of marking particular items with meaningful symbols, “casting” or throwing them down on a white cloth, and interpreting the meaning of what symbols are shown.
Modern runecasting is a phenomenon which has its roots in Hermeticism and classical Occultism, which originated during the Renaissance. Between the 17th Century and the very recent 1980’s, several systems of using runes for divination have been created based on the original 24 letters of the Elder Futhark.
Retaining their names and implied meanings, but drawing on the Chinese divination system known as the I Ching, the most famous catalyst for rune casting comes from Ralph Blum’s 1982 book, The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle. His rune book even came with the familiar little bag of stones, each stamped with one of the 24 symbols and instructions on divination and interpretation. This model has lasted throughout the decades, and the book has never gone out of print since its first publication.
The magical application of the sounds of the runes is not lost to history, or modern usages, either. The work of Stephan Grundy, an American scholar in Germanic Neopaganism, proposed singing or chanting the runes in an active method of creating magic, rather than the passive interpretation of rune use through divination. Keep in mind that these are very modern and far-removed interpretations of the original Indo-European runes. The height of their use and meaning, around 1500 years before now, is full of mystery and meaning we've lost to time. If it isn't written in stone (pun intended), we're not getting it back, so all we have are the more famous and well-marketed interpretations.
The staying power of runic magic, and a means to answer questions to the unknown, invoke a power to set an intention, or procure details of a future event speaks to the modern human need for answers, and control. We may not have evidentiary proof that runic magic has a quantifiable or measurable effect, but the possibility, and symbolism they can convey is powerful enough to hold on into the Information Age. The Runes have existed for 2000 years, and thanks to scholarly efforts, research and preservation, I can confidently “foresee” them sticking around into the (mostly) unknowable future.
Thanks for reading,
Next to each identified rune I have listed the known usages (and any implied meanings that I feel can be easily inferred given the context), along with an official source (or semi-official source, such as Jes Goodwin's unreleased design sketches) in italics. Some rune designs have been superseded or repurposed through the years, but I have included older runes and discarded meanings for the sake of completeness.
This symbol is often associated with growth and personal development. It is important to note that the meanings of rune symbols can also be influenced by their position or combination with other symbols. For example, when the Ansuz and Raido symbols are combined, they may represent a spiritual journey or a message from the divine guiding one's path. Overall, rune script symbols hold deep cultural and historical significance. Their implied meanings can vary, but they often represent concepts such as communication, travel, fertility, and personal growth. These symbols continue to be studied and appreciated by individuals interested in ancient history, mysticism, and spirituality..
Reviews for "Understanding the Powerful Symbolism of Rune Script Symbols"
1. John - 1/5 stars - The "Rune script symbols and their implied meanings chart" was a complete waste of money. The symbols were poorly organized and the implied meanings were vague and unclear. It seemed like they were just randomly assigning meanings to the symbols without any real research or understanding. I was hoping to use this chart to learn more about ancient runes, but I ended up more confused than before. Save your money and look for a more reputable source if you want to study runes.
2. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was excited to learn about rune script symbols and their meanings, but this chart fell short of my expectations. The symbols were difficult to read, and the explanations provided were not comprehensive enough. It felt like there was a lack of research done on the topic, as some meanings seemed to contradict each other. Overall, I was left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied with my purchase. I would not recommend this chart to anyone serious about learning rune script symbols.
3. Alex - 1/5 stars - I found the "Rune script symbols and their implied meanings chart" to be misleading and inaccurate. The symbols were not presented clearly, and the implied meanings provided were often too vague to be useful. It seemed like the author took shortcuts instead of doing proper research. This chart is not worth the money and will leave anyone wanting to learn about rune script symbols frustrated and confused. I would suggest looking for alternative resources that are more reliable and informative.