People believe that the aettir contains the energies and forces of the cosmos within each of them. People believe that the runes in this aett symbolize the forces of order and stability. This aett symbolizes social order, justice, and the structure of society. It is associated with inheritance, property, and the transmission of cultural and spiritual values from one generation to the next. The 24 runes of the Elder Futhark are divided into three groups called “aettir,” or “families.” Each aettir contains eight runes, and each of the runes within an aettir is believed to be connected in some way, either through their meanings or through their connections to Norse mythology. Structure and meaning of runes in the Elder Futhark The Elder Futhark played a central role in the culture and society of the Old Norse people, and continues to be a source of fascination and inspiration to this day. In magical practices, people also used runes, believing in their power to shape events and manifest desired outcomes. People used divination as one application each rune had a specific meaning, which allowed for interpretation in the context of particular questions or scenarios. The cultures and societies that utilized the Elder Futhark found various purposes for it. These groups migrated to Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries AD, carrying their versions of the system with them. Other Germanic peoples, including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, also utilized the Elder Futhark. The Old Norse people, residing in present-day Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and parts of Germany and the Netherlands, used it extensively. the Elder Futhark runes in useįrom the 2nd to the 8th centuries AD, the early medieval period saw widespread use of the Elder Futhark. One system didn’t supplant another overnight, but it was a process spanning centuries. The Latin alphabet eventually replaced all of the older runic alphabets in Europe, although some of the runic traditions and symbols have been preserved in modern times.Īs these writing systems developed it is worth mentioning that there was considerable overlap both in time and area. The Gothic runes fell out of use after the 6th century, as the Goths adopted the Latin alphabet. The kingdom and other parts of Europe where the Goths had established their presence used the Gothic runes. Scholars believe that it derived from the Greek alphabet, and it includes 27 letters.Īfter the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Goths established their own kingdom in what is now modern-day Italy. The Goths, an East Germanic people, used this runic alphabet, which bears a lot of similarities with the Elder Futhark. The Gothic runes represent another runic system.

The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, with its 33 letters, primarily served to write Old English. The Anglo-Saxons in England used one such system, the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, from around the 5th to 11th centuries.

ClaesWallin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Elder futhark runes bone set