The runes of the Viking Age stand among the most enduring symbols of Norse culture. More than an alphabet, the runes carried layers of meaning tied to myth, fate, memory, and power. They were marks of language, but also of magic, remembrance, and identity. To understand runes is to step into the worldview of the Norse peoples themselves, where knowledge was earned through sacrifice and meaning was woven into every sign.
The Mythic Discovery of the Runes
According to Norse tradition, the runes were not invented in a casual or practical way. They were won through an ordeal. The Hávamál, a poem from the Poetic Edda, tells the story of Odin’s sacrifice in pursuit of wisdom. In this myth, Odin hangs himself from Yggdrasil, the World Tree, pierced by his own spear, for nine nights. He neither eats nor drinks. He is alone, suspended between worlds.
At the end of this ordeal, the runes reveal themselves to him. He grasps them, falls from the tree, and brings that knowledge back to the worlds of gods and humans alike. The story frames the runes not as simple letters, but as symbols unlocked through suffering, endurance, and insight. Knowledge, in the Norse worldview, always carried a cost.
Yggdrasil itself is central to this understanding. As the cosmic tree connecting the Nine Worlds, it represents the structure of existence. Odin’s sacrifice upon it binds the runes to fate, cycles, and the unseen forces that shape life.
Historical Origins of the Runes
Beyond myth, archaeology and linguistics give us a grounded picture of how runes were used. The earliest runic alphabet, known as the Elder Futhark, dates to around the 2nd century CE. It was likely influenced by Mediterranean alphabets, possibly through contact with Roman traders and soldiers. However, the meanings attached to the runes were uniquely Germanic and Norse.
Runes were used across Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe for inscriptions, memorials, ownership marks, and short messages. Contrary to popular imagination, most runic writing was practical rather than overtly magical. That said, the Norse did not separate the practical from the symbolic the way modern cultures often do.
Each rune carried a name and an associated concept. These names referenced everyday realities of Viking life such as cattle, travel, ice, need, protection, and inheritance. The runes reflected a world shaped by harsh environments, kinship, and survival.
Materials and Lost Artifacts
One of the reasons relatively few early runic artifacts survive is the materials from which they were made. Many runes were carved into wood, bone, antler, or leather. These organic materials decay easily over time, especially in the damp climates of northern Europe. Stone rune carvings, such as rune stones, survive far more often precisely because of their durability.
Archaeological evidence supports this. Wooden rune sticks have been found in places like Bryggen in Norway, preserved only because of unique environmental conditions. These finds confirm that everyday runic writing was far more common than the surviving record suggests.
There is also evidence that runes were often highlighted with pigment. Red coloring appears frequently in historical descriptions and surviving traces. Red ochre, a naturally occurring iron oxide pigment, was widely available and used in many ancient cultures. In some cases, organic substances may also have been used. The red coloring likely made inscriptions more visible and may have carried symbolic meaning connected to vitality, life, or blood.
Runes and Faith in the Viking Age
Religion in the Viking Age was not centralized or uniform. Belief was practiced through ritual, seasonal observances, and local traditions. Runes fit naturally into this framework. They were used in memorials to honor the dead, inscriptions to invoke protection, and markings tied to land and lineage.
Runes appear on amulets, weapons, and everyday tools. Sometimes they named the owner. Other times they invoked protection or strength. The boundary between writing and symbolism was fluid. To carve a rune was to engage with meaning, memory, and intention simultaneously.
This worldview helps explain why runes later became associated with divination and symbolic interpretation. Even when used for writing, they were never neutral marks.
Viking goddesses Freya and Frigga derived their power as seeresses from Fehu, the pecuniary mysteries (related to gold/money/prosperity). The rune Fehu is all about cattle, a huge source of means and ways for Vikings and Norse people. It had to be moved, watched over and cared for. It was currency in those days. The nature of Fehu is that it is always kept in motion.
Some might ask, how does that tie in with being a seeress? Well, in crime shows, the phrase “follow the money” comes to mind. Following the money will always lead to insights, right? And, the money is always moving, changing hands. It also could not grow without motion and circulation.
Runes in the Modern World
Today, interest in runes has expanded far beyond academic study. Modern practitioners and enthusiasts engage with runes through study, meditation, and symbolic interpretation. In today’s world, one can also find crystal runes, sets made from materials such as quartz, amethyst, obsidian, hematite, or jasper. These modern interpretations blend ancient symbols with later traditions surrounding stones and their perceived energetic qualities.
While crystal sets are not historically Viking, they reflect how rune study continues to evolve. The symbols remain the same, but the materials and methods adapt to contemporary practices. This continuity mirrors how the runes themselves adapted across regions and centuries.
Books and Study of the Runes
Serious engagement with runes often begins with study. Historical sources like the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda provide mythological context, while modern scholarship offers linguistic and archaeological insight. Contemporary authors have also explored rune lore through historical reconstruction, mythology, and comparative studies.
Books on runes often examine both their historical use and their symbolic meanings. Some focus on Odin’s mythic sacrifice and the cosmology of Yggdrasil, while others analyze rune poems and surviving inscriptions. Together, these works help bridge the gap between myth, history, and modern understanding.
Why the Runes Endure
The endurance of runes lies in their layered nature. They are letters, symbols, and stories all at once. They carry the weight of a worldview where knowledge is earned, fate is acknowledged, and meaning is never shallow. In the modern world, we see a resurgence of interest in metaphysical and magical cultural practices. While perhaps not as popular as tarot cards, rune divination is here to stay.
From Odin’s sacrifice on the World Tree to the quiet carving of a rune on wood or bone, these symbols connect the human world to something larger. Their survival, despite the loss of so many physical artifacts, speaks to their power as ideas rather than objects.
Runes remain a doorway into the Viking Age, not because they promise mystery, but because they reflect a culture that saw meaning in every mark left behind.
