The first recorded use was found at a Viking settlement near Tängelgårda, Sweden. These ancient Norse runes have been found as far away as Iran, Turkey, England, and India.

The first runes were carved into wood, bone, or stone and then painted with various colours to make them more visible. This writing system is believed to have originated from the Old Italic scripts: a variation of the North Italic (Etruscan or Raetic alphabets), or the Latin Alphabet itself. The Elder Futhark (or sometimes just “Futhorc”) is the oldest form of runic alphabet. The word “Futhark” is derived from the first six letters, which are called “Fehu,” “Uruz,” “Thurisaz,” “Ansuz,” “Raidho” and “Kennaz.” The Elder Futhark runes are a set of 24 symbols that were used for writing in Scandinavia and other parts of Northern Europe from about 200-800 AD. It’s also significant to note the Rowan tree was spiritually sacred, and the root term runa was used to identify the Rowan tree. The name rune comes from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning mystery or secret.

While there are many different types of runes, here I’ll be focusing on Elder Futhark. Crocon Opalite Gemstone Engraved Rune Stones Set (25 Pcs) for Beginners with Elder Futhark Alphabets for Healing Chakra Crystals Reiki feng Shui Runes Set Size. What are Elder Futhark Runes Norse Runes are ancient symbols carved into Rune Stones throughout Northern Europe. Writing itself was often seen as magic by other peoples who had no writing systems of their own. The word rune comes from an Old Norse term meaning a secret letter that was used for casting spells.

Elder futhark rune stones