While evidence suggests that most Vikings could read the runes on at least a basic level, for them the true study and understanding of these symbols was a pursuit fit for the gods. Rather than being penned on vellum or parchment, runes were usually carved on wood, bone, or stone, hence their angular appearance. Because they had inherent meaning, they could be used as a means of communication between the natural and supernatural, and could thus be used in spells for protection or success.Ĭarved on sticks, bone, shells, or other objects, runes could be cast and deciphered to discern the present or predict the future. They could be carved into runestones to commemorate ancestors and mark the graves of heroes. Instead, runes were originally for inscriptions of great importance. However, they did not use this writing the way we do now, or even the way Mediterranean and other neighboring cultures did then. The Norse and other Germanic peoples wrote with runes since at least the first century. So, we see from this story how the Vikings thought of runes not merely as letters but as having potent virtues within themselves of a metaphysical or even magical nature. Odin made his sacrifice at great anguish and risk to himself because he knew that the runes conveyed deep meaning, and if he could understand their meaning he would gain profound wisdom and power. Get ordained online with American Marriage Ministries to become a minister today, and learn how to marry friends and family in a beautiful, authentic ceremony.īelow, you’ll find each of the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark, along with its individual meaning.In Norse lore, the god, Odin, impaled his heart with his own spear and hung on the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days and nights all to perceive the meaning of the runes. The runes were symbols that sprang from the Well of Urd – the source of fate. When used intentionally as part of a Pagan wedding ritual, including Viking weddings, runes are said to bless a marriage with wealth and good health, fertility, wisdom and strength, protection from evil outside forces, and years of love and happiness. You may even see them placed on the walls or floors of a wedding venue as part of casting a circle. You’ll find runes printed on wedding invitations, etched into wedding bands, wedding crowns, and pieces of heirloom jewelry, and painted on wedding altars and arches. (See Handfasting Ceremony Scripts and Pagan Weddings Scripts in our Library) Runes can be engraved on wedding bands or wedding swordsīecause of their symbolism and visual beauty, as well as their role in Pagan ritual and magic, runes are frequently seen at Viking weddings as part of the marriage rite, and at Wiccan and Pagan handfastings. They have since been used by Wiccans, Hedge Witches, Neo Druids, Heathens and other modern Pagans.Įach character represents a sound which can be placed together to spell words and create a story, or read on its own to symbolize a unique concept, object, or action. They were carved into stone and metal for protection, ritual magic, casting and divination, vengeance, and to share stories of harvest, gods, and battle.įirst used by Germanic and Scandinavian peoples, including the Vikings in northern Europe, it’s speculated that the Futhark runes became popular in the first or second century A.D. These runes are known by scholars as the Elder Futhark, and are thought to be one of the oldest forms of runic alphabet. Norse runes are powerful symbols with an ancient and magical history. Norse runes can be used in Pagan wedding decor, on the ceremony altar, added to invitations, and more
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