Rune stones, often referred to as simply runes, are ancient symbols used in divination and magic. These symbols have their roots in the Germanic and Norse cultures of northern Europe, and they were used by the ancient Norse and Germanic peoples as a form of writing in the early Middle Ages. The runes themselves are a set of 24 symbols, each with its own name and meaning. They are typically carved into small stones or pieces of wood and used in various ways for divination or spellcasting. The symbols are characterized by simple lines and angular shapes, which make them easy to carve and recognize. Each rune has its own unique meaning and interpretations, and they can be used to gain insight into the past, present, and future.
Book Synopsis
Thomsen s book on Zauberdiagnose und Schwarze Magie in Mesopotamien Copenhagen, 1987 broke new ground in discussing many aspects of Mesopotamian witchcraft, with numerous examples from previously untranslated texts, both from the magic and medical corpus, and with technical discussions of the system of witchcraft. Despite these criticisms, the book is useful for readers who have no prior knowledge of ancient Near Eastern magic, and they will find the book an easy and pleasant read.
Each rune has its own unique meaning and interpretations, and they can be used to gain insight into the past, present, and future. They can also be used to communicate with the divine or spiritual realms. Some practitioners believe that the symbols have inherent magical properties and can be used to channel energy or cast spells.
Book Review
Marie-Louise Thomsen and Frederick H Cryer.
Witchcraft and magic in Europe: biblical and pagan societies, The Athlone History of Witchcraft and Magic in Europe series, vol. 1, London: Athlone Press. 2001, pp. xvii, 168, illus., £50.00 (hardback 0-485-89001-1), £17.99 (paperback 0-485-89101-8).
The concept of a series on witchcraft and magic in Europe beginning with a treatment of Mesopotamia and the Bible has much to commend it. The cultural impact of Mesopotamia and the Bible on Europe was crucial, and incidentally much greater than that of Egypt, although systems of magic were roughly contemporary. The present book is a useful starting point, providing a general survey of witchcraft and magic with good examples of magical texts in translation. Although not actually stated per se, the implicit assumption of the book is that Mesopotamian magic and witchcraft influenced biblical literature, reflecting a wider cultural Near Eastern context of the Bible, and the Bible later influenced European culture after the spread of Christianity (and to a lesser extent Judaism) to Europe.
The book covers a wide range of relevant topics, with particular attention being paid to the art of witchcraft, followed by examples of protective magic, amulets, exorcisms, and use of figurines, and other ritual forms of magic from Mesopotamia. Biblical evidence is less well attested, with relatively few examples from the Old Testament for healing or exorcism, but these are treated comparatively with the Mesopotamian material. So far so good.
There is a general problem with this work, which arises from the particular expertise of the two authors, both of whom have previously written intelligent books on related subjects. Thomsen's book on Zauberdiagnose und Schwarze Magie in Mesopotamien (Copenhagen, 1987) broke new ground in discussing many aspects of Mesopotamian witchcraft, with numerous examples from previously untranslated texts, both from the magic and medical corpus, and with technical discussions of the system of witchcraft. Cryer's book on Divination in ancient Israel and its Near Eastern environment (Sheffield, 1994) was a sensible treatment of the subject in both Mesopotamia and the Bible, which is somewhat unusual these days. Unfortunately, the present book is an attempt to cover the larger field of “magic” by presenting a less technical and more general discussion for a popular audience, but depending predominantly upon their previous respective works in related fields. The result is predictable. Thomsen's bibliography, for instance, hardly includes any work published after 1987, although the present book was published in 2001, and she gives too much prominence to witchcraft within the context of magic; witchcraft was only a sub-category of ancient magic, and not even the most important component. Cryer, on the other hand, confuses divination and magic and assumes divination to be part of magic, without considering the possibility that divination in antiquity was treated as a separate discipline and endeavour. Divination was the responsibility of the barû priest in Mesopotamia, while magic was conducted by the āšipu or exorcist. Magic was used to counteract a bad omen (in so-called Namburbî incantations). Otherwise, there was no magic in divination or prophecy; the processes and theory and practices of divination and magic had little in common.
The title of the book includes the words “witchcraft” and “magic”, but there is no attempt to distinguish between these two activities, which causes some difficulties in interpretation. As Thomsen herself points out (p. 32), the Babylonian Diagnostic Handbook was used theoretically by the exorcist as a means of prognosis by examining symptoms derived from observing the patient's body, and witchcraft only features in less than five per cent of the assigned “causes” of illness. Although Thomsen herself was puzzled by her own statistics, it probably reflects the true relationship between magic and witchcraft, which is only a small part of the large and complex field of Mesopotamian magic. Of the many causes of illness and misfortune, witchcraft and evil eye represent only one possible source within the sphere of magic; much more common are divine displeasure, the activities of a plethora of demons and supernatural adversaries, or violation of an oath or taboo. Furthermore, Thomsen (p. 23) assumes that someone using an anti-witchcraft incantation suspected who the witch might have been, which is a completely unsupported hypothesis. Witchcraft can exist without witches, simply as a function of paranoia; we have no Salem witch trials in Mesopotamia.
Finally, Cryer's discussion also never takes on board the biblical phrase, “do not allow a witch to live” (Ex. 22:17), which has been interpreted as a general attack on the use of magic in ancient Israel. The point is that witchcraft was universally feared in antiquity as black magic, comparable to an attack of malevolent demons, and one of the key roles of magic was to protect a client against witchcraft, or to make the client believe that he was being protected against some hostile force which he conceived to be a witch. The rest of magic, however, was mostly benevolent, designed to offer protection and even healing, and was not proscribed by the Bible. This point needed to be made.
Despite these criticisms, the book is useful for readers who have no prior knowledge of ancient Near Eastern magic, and they will find the book an easy and pleasant read.
In addition to their use in divination and magic, rune stones were also used as a form of writing in the ancient Norse and Germanic cultures. The symbols were often carved or painted onto various objects, such as weapons, tools, and buildings, to convey messages or mark ownership. The runic alphabet, known as the Futhark, was widely used until the adoption of the Latin alphabet in the Christianization of these cultures. Today, rune stones are still used by practitioners of modern pagan or heathen religions, as well as by some New Age and occult enthusiasts. They are often used alongside other forms of divination, such as tarot cards or astrology, to provide additional insight or clarity. While the precise origins and meanings of the rune symbols are still debated among scholars, their use and significance have endured throughout history. Whether used for divination, magic, or as a form of writing, rune stones continue to be a powerful and intriguing symbol of ancient European culture and spirituality..
Reviews for "The Evolution and Transformation of Rune Stone Symbols"
1. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with the "Rune stones symbols" app. The graphics were incredibly outdated and the symbols were difficult to read. It was also frustrating that there wasn't any explanation or guidance on how to interpret the runes. I expected a more interactive and educational experience, but this app fell short.
2. Michael - 1/5 - This app is a complete waste of time. The rune symbols are so small and pixelated that I couldn't make out any of the details. The app was also riddled with annoying ads that popped up every few minutes. It seemed like the developers didn't put any effort into creating a user-friendly and visually appealing app. I regret downloading it.
3. Amy - 2/5 - I don't understand the hype around this app. The rune symbols were confusing and there was no clear explanation of their meanings or origins. The interface was clunky and difficult to navigate. I tried to give it a chance, but I quickly became frustrated and ended up deleting the app. Not worth the download.
4. John - 2/5 - As someone who was looking to learn more about rune symbols, this app was a letdown. The information provided was minimal and there were no resources for further exploration. The app also crashed multiple times during use, making it even more frustrating. I would recommend looking for a different app that offers a more comprehensive and reliable experience.
5. Emma - 1/5 - I cannot believe I wasted my money on this app. The rune symbols were barely readable and the audio pronunciation feature was glitchy and inconsistent. The lack of customization options and limited interactivity made the app feel stale and unengaging. Save your money and find a better resource for learning about rune symbols.