Sure they do, as do the signs in other magical systems as well. However if you would want the runes to perform something for you --that is a series of events resulting in the desired outcome; the bindrune is not going to be a static thing, but alive. With a function to perform Like a weapon, or ship; in fact in one account the rune magician carved the runes on a piece of wood and set it out to sea (to metaphorically sail to the victim, one would presume). Runes were also graven on weapons, as you know.
I used to use Junicode for its runic font on Windows but now am on a Mac can download it but can't seem to get it to run. (Or rune?) Despite having Adobe, can't seem to find a decent runic font I can use at all on this laptop. Owt I have found looks like it's runes in comic sans. And nobody's gonna have the full Northumbrian runes - maybe just the standard futharc.
That's the weirdest "B" rune I've ever seen - on that link - also, I'm not sure runes are that old as apart from that one, they're all the same as you'd expect 1000 years later. All my rune books are downstairs so can't go look, now.Not the oldest Runes, rather the oldest Runestone found to date.
Archaeologists in Norway have found what they claim is the world’s oldest runestone, saying the inscriptions are up to 2,000 years old and date back to the earliest days of the enigmatic history of runic writing.
The flat, square block of brownish sandstone has carved scribbles, which may be the earliest example of words recorded in writing in Scandinavia, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo said.
It said it was “among the oldest runic inscriptions ever found” and “the oldest datable runestone in the world”.
“This find will give us a lot of knowledge about the use of runes in the early iron age. This may be one of the first attempts to use runes in Norway and Scandinavia on stone,” said Kristel Zilmer, a professor at the University of Oslo, of which the museum is part.
Older runes have been found on other items, but not on stone. The earliest runic find is on a bone comb found in Denmark. Zilmer said that maybe the tip of a knife or a needle was used to carve the runes.
Viking runestone may allude to extreme winter, study says
The runestone was discovered in late 2021 during an excavation of a grave near Tyrifjord, west of Oslo, in a region known for several monumental archaeological finds. Items in the cremation pit – burned bones and charcoal – indicate that the runes were likely inscribed between AD1 and AD250.
“We needed time to analyse and date the runestone,” she said to explain why the finding was first announced on Tuesday.
Measuring 31cm by 32cm (12.2in by 12.6in), the stone has several types of inscriptions and not all make linguistic sense. Eight runes on the front of the stone read “idiberug” – which could be the name of a woman, a man or a family.
https://www.theguardian.com/science...-runestone-found-in-norway-archaeologists-say
Very! Might it be a double-b, such that it possibly reads as 'IDIBBERUG' ?
Ah is a double letter a thing? I know it's not so much in some languages til later. That would surely at those dates be some sort of proto old Germanic, or summat? Thanks for the link, it's really interesting. Going on the carbon dating of "nearby" bones would add to my suspicion that this inscription is much later - how can they tie this particular stone in with those particular bones? Stone could be a discard or some later burial also "nearby" on the same site..?
I have a set of mass produced runes somewhere at home that came with a small book back in the late 70’s or early 80’s. But I read back then that you should make your own runes using pyrograthy to mark each rune on a home cut piece of wood. As you make the rune you are to contemplate its supposed meaning which I assume means you imbue it with its meaning by force of thought.
You will be thrilled to see that there is a ‘cheap’ replica at £300 and a non-cheap one at £800. I love them and will happily press my nose against the glass in the BM posh shop and stare longingly at them. But i think it’s elements of Wayland/Welund/Volundr‘s story not Thor that’s on there. Although who knows really
I noticed the cheaper version at £300. Thank you for the mention of Wayland/Welund/Volundr . I stand corrected. Found an interesting page here
