Stone Writings: July
Lore of the Runes
What we now know as the runic alphabet seems to have developed from two distinct sources – one magical, one literate. Pre-runic symbols, or hällristningar, have been found in various Bronze Age rock carvings, primarily in Sweden. Some of these symbols are readily identifiable in the later alphabets, while others represent ideas and concepts which were incorporated into the names of the runes (sun, horse, etc.). The exact meanings of these sigils is now lost to us, as is their original purpose, but they are believed to have been used for divination or lot-casting, and it is fairly certain that they contributed to the magical function of the later runic alphabets.
According to Norse mythology, the runes were discovered by the god Odin. (Refer to the painting of Odin with his companion ravens.) He was the father of the Norse gods called the Aesir. In an effort to learn knowledge, Odin hung from the world ashtree Yggdrasil (pronounce ig’ druh sil). In this meditative state, he learned of magic spells and runes.
The following is symbolized in the Norse poem Hávamál , which translates as The Words of the High One as written by Odin:
I know that I hung on the windswept tree
For nine days and nine nights.
Stuck with a spear,
Bloodied for Odin,
Myself an offering to myself,
Bound to that tree
Whose roots no one knows where they go.
No one gave me bread.
No one gave me drink.
Down into the depths I looked
To take up the runes.
Screaming, I fell back from that place.
Little is known of the true origins of the runes. What we do know is that they were used for magical purposes. The word rune means secret or mystery derived from the archaic express of to rown or round in the ear, or whisper. This translation is comparable in various dialects such as: Old Norse (run), Old High German (runa), Old English (run), and Gothic (runa). It suggests that the symbols were used for magical or mystical rituals.
Runes have been found inscribed onto many surfaces of differing materials: stone, wood, metal. They have been used for spells, divination, poems, and ornamentation.
In the past, runes were taught by word of mouth. There was no formal script or books to learn from. There were two types of rune specialists: the runecutter and the runemaster. The runecutter was able to read and scribe the runes, while the runemaster not only could read and scribe runes but knew the full magical power of the runes. Typically magic in the Norse north was taught by women.
The runemaster was a highly skilled individual with knowledge of poetry, medicine, numerology, and philosophy. The runemaster used these skills to assist in the application and interpretation of runes.
The Elder Futhark is the oldest set of rune-rows numbering twenty-four. There are other rune-rows such as the Younger Futhork with sixteen runes and the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc with thrity-three runes. Each has similarities and differences but has common uses. Note the different spelling of futhark in each rune-row.
The word futhark is derived from phonetic values of the first six letters/symbols, just as the word alphabet is derived from the first two letters of the Greek letter run ( a alpha and b beta).
In a time where there were few literate people, runes held mystery for those that could not read them and power for those that could. Imagine the awe of finding a massive stone with these strange repetitive carvings covering its surface. What mysteries or magic would you imagine?
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author bio:
Stone Writings June 2006
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Belenus is a pagan artist who loves to travel, photograph, paint, and write. He believes that nature is the greatest gift mankind can share.
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