Key Info

- Powerful symbols used not only for communication but also secret knowledge and magic

- Discovered by Odin and given to all

Brief Bio

In Norse mythology, runes are more than just an alphabet; they are powerful symbols of secret knowledge and magic, discovered by Odin through a self-sacrifice on the world tree Yggdrasil to gain wisdom from the Well of Urd. While historically used for writing by Germanic peoples, the Norse believed runes possessed inherent virtues, allowing them to be carved into objects to invoke supernatural forces, predict the future, and even shape destiny. Each rune had a name, a visual form, and a symbolic meaning, with the word "rune" itself meaning "secret" or "mystery". 

The story from the Hávamál describes Odin hanging himself on the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days and nights, pierced by his own spear, to understand the secret of the runes. By enduring this ordeal, he acquired profound knowledge of the runes from the Well of Urd, which were symbols of fate and wisdom. Odin then shared this knowledge, which included both their use as an alphabet and as a magical tool, with humanity. 

Runes were seen as symbols of cosmological principles and powerful forces, not just phonetic symbols like the Roman alphabet. Each rune had a name and a visual form that held philosophical and magical significance. To write a rune was to invoke the force it represented. Besides their magical applications, runes were also used for practical inscriptions, such as on weapons, tools, amulets, and memorial stones. Runes could be used to predict the future, provide protection, or cast spells for success or other effects. Runic inscriptions on runestones commemorated ancestors and marked graves, often with a sentence or two of praise.