Anglo-Saxon runes are an ancient alphabet system used by the Anglo-Saxons, a group of tribes that inhabited England from the 5th to the 11th centuries. This runic writing system was derived from the Old Italic script, which was used by the various Germanic tribes in continental Europe. The Anglo-Saxon runes consisted of 33 characters, known as futhorc, which were used to write various Germanic languages, including Old English. The futhorc was an extension of the Elder Futhark, which was an earlier runic alphabet used by the pre-Roman Germanic tribes. The runes were typically carved into wood or stone, and were used for various purposes, such as writing inscriptions, creating amulets, or casting spells. They were also used for divination and as a form of secret communication.
Anglo Saxon Runes
When the Anglo-Saxons became Christians, they began to use the Roman alphabet for writing (as we still do today). Before that time, they wrote in runes like these:
Each rune had a name, such as 'joy' or 'ash tree' . The runes were all made of straight lines, which made them easier to carve. Runes were often carved on precious objects - like an ivory box - or on stone monuments. Sometimes runes told the maker's name.
You can see that some of the runes are quite like our capital letters:
Some are easier to guess if you turn them upside down,
although some are not at all what you might expect:
The word RUNE means secret or mystery. Runes had a religious meaning and were used in religious ceremonies. They were a charm or a spell as well as a way of writing messages.
This is why TO SPELL (meaning to put down the right letters in the right order) and A SPELL (as in a magic spell) are the same word in English. The Anglo-Saxons believed that if you used the right runes in the right order, they could have magical powers. For example, a prisoner could magically release himself by carving certain runes.
Even our words READ and WRITE are connected with runes. The Anglo-Saxon words
writan (= to carve runes) and ridan (= to interpret runes) became our words write and read.
Why not try using runes like a code to write secret messages to your friends? Look at the alphabet of runes again. As you can see, Anglo-Saxon had some sounds (like æ - ) that we don't use any more, but some letters you might need (q for example) are missing.You can make up your own runes for these. Remember to make them out of straight lines.
Writing in Anglo-Saxon Runes
I threw the idea out on Twitter a couple days ago of doing a blog post on how I write in runes. About 10% of my followers liked the tweet, so I’m going to do it. While this doesn’t really have anything to do with Heathenry, per se, it has uses that Heathens might find handy. Personally, I use them when I want to write down something private or something that is important. Writing in runes seems to impress it into my subconscious a bit more than writing it with the Latin alphabet (which is the alphabet that we usually use to write in English).
Some (many?) Heathens believe that the runes have magical properties, so in that respect writing modern English in runes may not have many uses, except maybe to write spells in runes in candle magic (I admit that in my earlier days in paganism, I dabbled in candle magic a little bit).
I use the Fuþorc when I write in runes. These runes were the ones used by the Anglo-Saxons in England. It was derived from the Elder Fuþark which is the runes used by the continental Germanic tribes. Due to Old English acquiring new sounds (languages evolve naturally with use over time), they developed new runes to accommodate these sounds. You can read more about the Anglo-Saxon Runes on Wikipedia.
There are two methods people use to write in runes. One is runic substitution, and is much more common because it is simpler. The other is writing the runes phonetically. This is more authentic to the way they were originally written, and it is how I write my runes.
They were also used for divination and as a form of secret communication. Each rune had a specific name and phonetic value, and they represented both specific sounds and concepts. For example, the rune "feoh" represented the sound "f" and also symbolized wealth and cattle.
Runic Substitution
In this method, you use modern spelling but replace the letters with runes. Here is the key I would use to do so if I was going to do this method:
(I hate the Unicode versions of the runes. Anywhere that you see curves, the rune is supposed to be straight. But that’s a rant for another time.)
For TH or NG, use that rune instead of the individual runes for N and G or T and H. For double letters (like the t in letters), only use one rune. I would also suggest for ck (as in back), just use the K rune, and getting rid of any other silent letters. This will make it harder for nosey people to decode your message without a key. Use dots in between words instead of spaces, and colon as an end of sentence (period). For example, I think you are cool. would be ᛁ᛫ᚦᛁᚾᛣ᛫ᚣᛟᚢ᛫ᚫᚱᛖ᛫ᚳᛟᛚ᛬ (To see this in [sloppy] handwriting, check this out.)
The Anglo-Saxon runes were gradually phased out with the spread of the Latin alphabet, which was introduced to England with the Christianization of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. By the 11th century, the futhorc was no longer in widespread use, and the Latin alphabet became the standard writing system in England. Today, the Anglo-Saxon runes are mainly studied by linguists, historians, and enthusiasts of Germanic culture. They are also sometimes used in neo-pagan and esoteric traditions as a form of spiritual symbolism. The runes continue to hold a certain mystique and fascination, as they represent a unique part of the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Anglo-Saxon people..
Reviews for "The Anglo Saxon Runes Alphabet: Origins, Uses, and Symbols"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I found the Anglo Saxon runes alphabet quite difficult to understand and learn. The symbols looked too similar to each other, making it hard to differentiate them. Additionally, the lack of a clear pronunciation guide made it even more confusing. I would have preferred more detailed explanations and examples to help grasp the concept better. Overall, I felt frustrated and disappointed with this resource.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I disliked the Anglo Saxon runes alphabet because there was no practical application provided. The information was limited to just the symbols without any explanations on how to use them in writing or any historical context. It felt more like a random collection of symbols rather than a comprehensive guide. I would have appreciated more guidance on the significance of these runes and their place in Anglo Saxon culture.
3. Michael - 3/5 stars - While I didn't particularly hate the Anglo Saxon runes alphabet, I found it challenging to memorize and utilize effectively. There were no mnemonic techniques or memory aids provided, which made it tedious to learn. The lack of practice exercises or interactive elements also hindered my progress. I believe this resource could be improved by incorporating more interactive elements and providing more practical exercises for learners.
4. Emily - 2/5 stars - Personally, I didn't find the Anglo Saxon runes alphabet engaging or enjoyable to learn. The material was presented in a dry and monotonous manner, lacking any visual or interactive elements to make it more engaging. I lost interest quickly and struggled to stay motivated. I believe incorporating more visuals, examples, and interactive activities would make the learning experience more enjoyable and effective for learners.