It was discovered in the 19th century and is said to contain stories that relate to Norse mythology. In Sweden, the Rök Runestone is one of the most famous examples of runic inscriptions. The Jelling Stones, in Jelling, Denmark, are a pair of large runestones erected in the 10th century by the Viking king Harald Bluetooth.įor more on visiting Denmark’s Viking remains, see Viking attractions around Copenhagen. These are found in many places in Scandinavia, but some of the most famous runic inscriptions lie in Denmark and Sweden. The Jelling Stones / Erik Christensen (CC)

This alphabet contains only 16 characters and emerged during the 9th century, following a transitional period spanning the 7th and 8th centuries.Īs we mentioned before, runes were used for inscriptions on a wide range of objects, including weapons, tools and jewellery.īut perhaps the most well-known examples are the runestones. Younger Futhark is a runic script that originated from the Elder Futhark but is a more simplified version. These inscriptions date back to the 2nd to the 10th centuries, making the Elder Futhark a remarkable and significant archeological discovery. We know the Elder Futhark was used because we have found inscriptions on various objects such as jewellery, amulets, plate ware, tools, weapons and runestones in Scandinavia. It’s believed that the Germanic tribes used the Elder Futhark runes during the Migration Period to record Northwest Germanic dialects. The Elder Futhark, also referred to as the Old Futhark, or Germanic Futhark, is the earliest version of the runic alphabets. Let’s go over each group and explore the differences between them, as well as their individual alphabets. There are two main groups or types of Viking runes: the Elder Futhark and the Younger Futhark. The vast majority of these runes are inscriptions on stones, pieces of wood or bones.īut runes have also been found on metal objects, such as weapons and jewellery, showing that they were widely understood and permeated many aspects of Viking life. How many confirmed examples of Viking runes have been found?Īround 6,000 confirmed examples of Viking runes have been found across Scandinavia and other areas where the Vikings settled or traded. You can also turn English words or names into Viking runes with this tool. Cool, right?įor more on specific Viking symbols, read our guides to the Vegvisir symbol and the Valkyrie symbol – two of the best-known symbols from Viking culture. The Vikings used these runes to write down messages and sometimes even to cast magic spells. If you’re still confused, think about it like this: the symbols in the Latin alphabet are called letters, but in the Germanic alphabet, they are called runes. These symbols make up the writing system that was used by the Vikings and other Germanic peoples in the early Middle Ages. Runes are essentially individual symbols or characters that represent specific sounds and meanings. So put on your Viking helmets and let’s explore the history and cultural significance of Viking runes, as well as the different types of runes and the various ways in which they were used. With runes, Vikings recorded their history, communicated with each other and even practised magic. One of the most fascinating aspects of Viking culture is their use of runes. If you’re a fan of Vikings, Norse mythology or just cool ancient stuff in general, then you’ll want to learn more about runes.

Elder futhark runes historical meanings