![]() Each rune most likely had a name that was picked to symbolize the rune's sound. The Greeks created the Gothic alphabet in the fourth century to interpret the Bible, and it contains two characters that can only have come from runes. There is also evidence that the journey was not one-way. The Viking period began with Norse still utilizing the Elder Futhark, which most closely resembled the Italic scripts from which it originated. Runes of Elder Futhark (until around 800CE) Dalarna is referred to as the "final stronghold of Germanic script." In the 16th century, dalecarlian runes or dalrunes were developed, which were used in the Swedish province of Dalarna until the 20th century. The medieval runes are most likely the runes that people are most familiar with. These are thought to be a reaction to the expansion of the Latin alphabet, which was opposed by many at the time. While all have been seen in the region, the long-branch is more prevalent in Denmark, while the Rök is more common in Sweden and Norway.įuthark of the younger generation evolved into the medieval runes that followed the Viking Age. Long-branch runes, Rök runes, and stavlösa or Hälsinge runes are the three types of runes in younger Futhark (also known as staveless runes). It's termed a Futhorc to reflect the variations in sound that occurred throughout this time period. There is also Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, which is a development of the Germanic tribes that moved to England during the time. We consider two Futharks to cover the period: Elder Futhark and Younger Futhark. Instead, the systems continued to evolve. There is no single set of Viking runes in Scandinavia or abroad. This was not a common alphabet during the Viking Age. What we do know is that runic inscriptions were normally reserved to commemorate significant events or people. The mystical aspect of runes is frequently mentioned, however it is rarely supported by actual facts. ![]() It is possible that the term refers to'secrets,' since runes were used in the beginning. The term rune is derived from the Germanic word run-, which means "secret" or "whisper." In Celtic, the word has similar meanings, but in other languages, it refers to a knife cut, a speech, or a miracle. ![]() ![]() It was eliminated from Scandinavian and English in favor of ‘th,' but it survives in Icelandic. It appears frequently in old Norse and Anglo-Saxon literature. If you've ever wondered where the letter (known as thorn) originates, it's from the runes. Scholars instead call the Scandinavian runic systems a Futhark or Fuark after the first six letters: F, U, Th/, A, R, and K. The runes do not begin with A and B, but with F and U, which could result in some intriguing complications! However, the term alphabet is derived from ‘alpha beta' or ‘aleph beth,' the first two letters in the Greek and Hebrew alphabets. The rune systems are frequently referred to as 'runic alphabets,' which is a completely acceptable phrase for most people. According to the Gothic Hypothesis, they arose as a result of East Germanic expansion into territories such as modern-day Ukraine and Belarus. It's also up for debate how we'll get from Italy to Scandinavia! There are two theories as to how the runes first appeared in Denmark and Northern Germany.Īccording to the West Germanic Hypothesis, they arose from migratory populations around the Elbe River. It's believed they came from the Etruscan script, which evolved into the Latin alphabet, which English and most Western languages still use to some extent today. The characters share similarities with other writing systems, but none of them line up closely enough to make a clear ‘yep, this is it' for the scholars. The runes definitely evolved from the ancient Italic scripts used on the Italian peninsula, which in turn evolved from the Greek alphabet. ![]() The precise origins of the runes used by the Germanic peoples of Northern Europe in the first millennium of the Common Era are unknown. But how much do we really know about what they're announcing? The landscape of Scandinavia is filled with these beautiful monoliths with complex artwork. You may have heard of Scandinavia's numerous surviving runestones. ![]()
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