Lets get our feet wet with some background info on the Runes (Blog)
The Origin of The Runes
Human’s Recording of the Runes: The origins and development of the Runes are understood through two primary narratives: the historical record documented by humans and a more mythic account involving the Allfather Odin’s role in their creation.
It is believed that the Runes stem from one of the numerous Old Italic alphabets used by Mediterranean peoples in the first century CE, primarily south of the Germanic tribes. Additionally, earlier Germanic symbols, such as those found in northern European carvings, likely influenced the formation of this writing system.
The earliest known potential runic inscription is on the Meldorf brooch, produced in northern modern-day Germany around 50 CE. However, this inscription is highly ambiguous, and scholars continue to debate whether the symbols are runic or Roman. The first clearly identifiable runic inscriptions are found on the Vimose comb from Vimose, Denmark, and the Ovre Stabu spearhead from southern Norway, both dating to approximately 160 CE. The earliest known carving of the entire runic alphabet, or Futhark, in sequence is on the Kylver stone from Gotland, Sweden, dating to around 400 CE. As of 2021, the oldest known runic inscription is on the Svingerud Stone, which radiocarbon dating has established as being created between 1 and 250 CE.
The spread of writing throughout different regions of Europe was likely facilitated by Germanic warbands, who were the dominant military forces in northern Europe during this period. These groups would have encountered Italic writing firsthand during their campaigns in neighboring southern territories. This theory is further supported by the historical association of Runes with the god Odin, who, in the Proto-Germanic period under his original name Wodan, served as the divine archetype of the human warband leader and the unseen patron of their activities. According to Roman historian Tacitus, by the first century, Odin, also known to the Romans as Mercury, was already recognized as a principal deity among many Proto-Germanic tribes.
Then came the Younger: The Younger Futhark was first discovered alongside the Elder Futhark on the Rok Runestone, which dates back to the early ninth century. It became widely used during what is considered the Viking Age and was the script most commonly employed by runic craftsmen for inscriptions, reflecting its origins as a shorthand used by sailors and merchants.
The evolution of the Younger Futhark was influenced by linguistic changes across different regions. Vowels were often omitted, words were shortened, and even the pronunciation of the runes was evolving. This posed the question: did these developments make runic writing easier? Interestingly, they often complicated it. This mainly due to the Younger Futhark being used alongside the Elder Futhark until the mid-tenth century as it developed its own set of complex spelling conventions due to its reduced inventory of only sixteen Runes. Some Runes represented multiple sounds with the same symbol, which often made interpretation challenging. Additionally, the Younger Futhark exists in three main styles: Long Branch, Short Branch, and Rodless, all functionally similar but visually distinct, adding another layer of complexity.
How can the Younger Futhark be applied in contemporary practice? Similar to the Elder Futhark, each Rune is associated with specific meanings and attributes, making it suitable for runic magic such as Galdr and Bind Runes, as well as for divination. Personally, I find it particularly useful for spellcraft. While the Elder Futhark emphasizes the power and energy embedded within each Rune, the Younger Futhark highlights the influence of runic symbols in speech, especially when incorporating additional vowel sounds, allowing for a versatile approach that bridges magical and linguistic expression.
From Futhark to Futhorc: Let's take a moment and go back in time to revisit the historical context of Early England in the fifth century. The Futhorc runic alphabet was first documented as early as the third century, with its primary usage occurring between the fourth and sixth centuries. It served as a precursor to the Latin alphabet, as evidenced by the transition from Futhark to Futhorc and marked by the adaptation of runes to represent the "K" sound. Initially, the Futhorc consisted of 28 runes, differing from the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark. And by the end of the fifth century, it had expanded to include 30 characters. This evolution reflected changes in the language, making the runic system more suitable for grammatical writing, record-keeping, as well as for charms and magical practices, functions that positioned it as an important precursor to the Latin alphabet. Now onwards to the fun stuff.