The runes are the characters of ancient Germanic writing systems, most famously the Elder Futhark, used from around the 2nd to 8th centuries CE. To the Norse and other Germanic peoples, they were more than letters — they were symbols of power, each carrying its own meaning, mystery, and connection to the forces of the cosmos.
In myth, Odin himself won the knowledge of the runes through sacrifice, making them sacred tools for communication, magic (seiðr), and divination.
Today, they remain a bridge between modern practitioners and the wisdom, values, and worldview of the old Northern traditions.
