Photo of the full set of mulberry bough runes, with runes woodburned into each polished surface.

The Elder Futhark

The Elder Futhark is the oldest form of the runic alphabets used by Germanic tribes, coming to them throughout Scandinavia around the first century, AD. Whoever created this alphabet taught it to a group of disciples with the intent of recording the northwest Germanic dialects during the Migration Period (100–500 AD) in script. However, the tribes believed the runes were magical, and so we do today.

The Runes


Fehu

Uruz

Thurisaz

Ansuz

Raidho

Kaunan (Kenaz)

Gebo

Wunjo

Hagalaz

Nauthiz

Isa

Jera

Eihwaz

Perthro

Algiz

Sowilo

Tiwaz

Berkano

Ehwaz

Mannaz

Laguz

Ingwaz

Dagaz

Othala