Hey there! Let's talk about Discord's Springgle mascot. You may be wondering, what exactly is a Springgle? Well, the term 'Springgle' is a combination of the words 'spring' and 'jungle', which perfectly captures the essence of Discord's unique and playful mascot. The Springgle mascot is a vibrant and energetic character that represents the spirit of Discord, a popular communication platform for gamers and communities. This mascot is often depicted as a mischievous and fun-loving creature, with a mix of features inspired by various animals found in the jungle. The design of the Springgle mascot is visually striking, with bright and saturated colors. It has big, expressive eyes that convey a sense of excitement and curiosity.

Viking and Norse Runes and Their Meanings

We know from interactions with our customers in store, and followers on our Social Media channels, that there are a wide variety of reasons why people are interested in Viking history and mythology. One thing that is pretty much guaranteed to generate comments and questions is anything we post that relates to The Runes. These apparently simple symbols are a source of intrigue and mystery and there are many theories around their origin, use, and meaning.

Legend says that the runes were the original source of fate and emerged from the Well of Urd beneath Yggdrasil the ‘Tree of Life’ and made their way up the trunk and along the branches of the tree to spread into the ‘Nine Worlds’ ( Link to norse-mythology.net for more info )

Such was the fascination and desire to understand the Runes that the God Odin himself hung on the tree for nine days and nights in the belief that he could gain immense wisdom and power if he could unlock the mystery and meaning of the runes. It is widely believed that the runes convey a deep meaning that makes them different to other early examples of written language. This also makes any form of ‘translation’ a challenge as it is not merely a case of matching runes to a corresponding letter of the alphabet we use today as can be done with Greek or Cyrillic alphabets for example.

Rather than being used merely as ‘letters’, runes were used in messages of great importance, on statues of heroes, or on graves of revered ancestors for example. It was widely believed that the ability of the runes to convey deeper meanings facilitated communications between the worlds of the living and of those who had passed. The fact that these messages were usually carved into bone, stone or wood is widely believed to a key reason why their style remained angular and did not evolve into the more rounded appearance of the Roman alphabet we use today.

FUTHARKS

In the same way that the word ‘alphabet’ is derived from the first letters of ancient Greek (alpha and beta), scholars coined the phrase of ‘Futharks’ to describe the Runic alphabet from its initial symbols which are believed to roughly correspond to our sounds of F, U, Th, A, R and K. ‘Elder Futhark’ runes are so named for the amazingly original reason that they are the oldest runic system discovered in Sweden somewhere around the year 400 carved in the ‘Kylver Stone’. (see image below).

It is believed that there are around 50 ‘rune stones’ dating from around the 4 th and 5 th centuries in both Sweden and Norway.

Elder Futhark is the most widely known rune system consisting of 24 runes. By the time we reach the ‘Viking Age’ (approximately793 – 1066), this system gradually declined in use and the equally aptly named ‘Younger Futhark’ system came into use with a smaller set of only 16 runes.

As the runic systems were becoming more widely used throughout Europe, this new set of fewer runes was being used in a different and more flexible way to be able to differentiate between Norse tongues and those of other Germanic and European tongues.

There were also different styles of Younger Futhark including ‘long branch’ (generally used in Denmark) and ‘short twig’ (more common in Sweden and Norway).

As the levels of trade between nations and peoples increased through the Viking age, the need for writing systems also increased which is believed to be one of the key reasons why there are many thousands of examples of Younger Futhark inscriptions as opposed to a few hundred in Elder Futhark.

Reading the Runes

As mentioned already, for those wishing to use or interpret the runes, things are not always as simple as they seem, but for those who wish to simply transliterate their names or simple epitaphs, the charts below give a basic overview of the most likely and commonly used phonetic translations and interpretations. So, you if you are looking to translate English to ‘Viking’, these are as good a starting point as any.

Although less commonly used in the Viking era, most designs seen on modern day jewelry inspired by the runes use Elder Futhark simply because there is a cleaner and easier translation to English equivalent letters.

CLICK HERE to have a look at some of our popular Rune inspired designs in store.

What are Viking Norse Runes and what is their Meaning?

The alphabet of the Viking age, Norse runes were used for writing, sorcery and divination. Some still believe they hold magical or mystical powers. So, how did they develop and what did rune symbols really mean?

In the simplest terms, runes are the characters of ancient Germanic alphabets. There were many variations of runes amongst different Germanic peoples and these variations also changed over time. However, when most people think of runes, it is Norse runes they have in mind, and specifically, the rune symbols of the Viking age.

Mostly dating from the late 8th to the early 12th centuries, these symbols represent some of the most important clues as to the history of the Nordic people. Perhaps the best known examples from the time are viking rune stones. However, later medieval examples from the 14th century onwards were carved into graves, weapons, jewellery and any number of everyday items.

So, what were the Nordic runes? What did the rune symbols mean? And what messages did they leave behind? Read on as we decipher the facts.

The Origins of Rune Stones

Old Germanic runes (Photo: HalliHuberts via Getty Images)

The exact origins of the runic alphabet are not known, but it’s generally accepted that it derived from the early Mediterranean scripts around the first century AD. For example, there are similarities to the Phoenician alphabet with its angular letter shapes. These became the trademark of the Nordic runes. The development of the script may also have been influenced from early Germanic sacred symbols found in northern European rock carvings.

Norse Symbols: A Changing Alphabet

Elder Futhark Runes engraved on stones (Photo: KatyaSuresh via Getty Images)

The Norse runes are the alphabet of the Old Norse language. That alphabet was called futhark. As far as we know, it originated in around the 1st century AD, varying by region and evolving over time.

In general terms, there were two main types of Norse runes: the earlier and more complex Elder Futhark, and the subsequent Younger Futhark. It is Younger Futhark that is associated with the Viking Age. Its rune symbols were far simpler and easier to carve, consisting of 16 characters or “staves”.

The Multiple Meanings of Nordic Runes

Nordic symbolism (Photo: Marco Klaue via iStock)

There are clear similarities between futhark and our modern alphabet. Like the letters we use today, each character represented sound values, like consonants and vowels. However, Norse runes were slightly more complex than our ABC. They were also ideographs, meaning they were used to represent concepts. Modern examples of ideographs include emojis and street signs.

Translating Norse Symbols

Viking runic inscription (Photo: DEA / G. DAGLI ORTI via Getty Images)

For almost two thousand years, the meaning of Norse symbols has been discussed, deliberated and debated by experts. They have been used in a number of different ways by different communities and cultures so it’s only natural that names and meanings will vary.

Here is the most widely accepted list of letters and meanings of the famous Norse runes –

A | Ansuz

Sound – aa, as in far | Meaning – truth, wisdom, god, communication, inspiration

B | Berkan/Berkanan

Sound – be, as in bee | Meaning – birch tree, fertility, birth, growth, new start

C | Cen/Caunan/Kenaz

Sound – kay, as in okay | Meaning – torch, illumination, creativity, fire, transformation

D | Dagaz

Sound – dee, as in melody | Meaning – day, new dawn, awakening, awareness, breakthrough

E | Ehwaz\Eihwaz

Sound – short e, as in bend | Meaning – cooperation, discovery, trust, teamwork

F | Fehu

Sound – eff, as in frank | Meaning – achievement, wealth, money earned, luck

G | Gebo

Sound – hard gee, as in great | Meaning – exchanging gifts, love, partnership

H | Hagalaz

Sound – aitch, as in hurry | Meaning – destruction, radical change, loss, transformation

I | Isa/Isaz

Sound – short i, as in limp | Meaning – inertia, stasis, self-control, concentration

J | Jera

Sound – soft j/y as in year | Meaning – cycles, time, peace, rewards, prosperity

K | Kaun|Kenaz

Sound – hard c/k, as in click | Meaning – illumination, fire, transformation, regeneration

L | Laguz

Sound – ell, as in lemon | Meaning – dreams, emotion, the unconscious mind, fantasy

M | Mannaz

Sound – emm, as in minute | Meaning – humankind, collective effort, connectivity

N | Naudiz/Nauthiz

Sound – enn as in none | Meaning – survival, basic human needs, endurance, hardship

O | Othila\Othala

Sound – short oh, as in drop | Meaning – inheritance, ancestors, home, legacy

P | Perthro\Peorth

Sound – pee, as in penny | Meaning – fate, destiny, mystery, uncertainty, secrets

R | Raido

Sound – arr, as in rope | Meaning – personal direction, journeys, wheels, travel

S | Sowilo\Sowulo

Sound – ess, as in soup | Meaning – health, energy, success, wholeness

T | Tiwaz

Sound – tee, as in tiny | Meaning – righting of wrongs, justice, honour, victory

TH | Thuriaz/Thurisaz

Sound – th, as in third | Meaning – breaking barriers, solving problems, protection

U | Uruz

Sound – ooh, as in brood | Meaning – ultimate strength, power, courage, endurance

W | Wunjo

Sound – w, as in wind | Meaning – joy, friendship, celebration, fellowship

Z | Algiz

Sound – zed, as in zoo | Meaning – courage, divine protection, self-defence

NG | Ingwaz

Sound – ng, as in sing | Meaning – concentrated energy, unity, agreement, harmony

Famous Runes and Viking Rune Stones

Monument erected by King Harald honouring his parents (Photo: DE AGOSTINI PICTURE LIBRARY / via Getty Images)

The earliest runic inscriptions are potentially from around 50 AD on what is known as the Meldorf brooch. It is a beautifully jewelled brooch typically used for fastening clothes at the right shoulder and is thought to have come from a cremation grave site. Found close to the Danish border in the German town of Meldorf, experts to this day remain split as to whether the inscription is Roman script or rune symbols.

The Vimose Comb dating from around 160 AD, literally a small hair comb found in the town of Vimose on the Danish island of Funen, is the earliest unambiguous representation of runic symbols and is carved with the word ‘harja’. Dating from around the same time, an iron spearhead found at the Øvre Stabu farm in Oppland, Norway, is inscribed with Norse runes from the Elder Futhark alphabet.

As for viking rune stones, some of the most famous have been found in the Danish town of Jelling. In particular, the two large 10th century stones, the first erected by King Gorm the Old commemorating his wife and the second by his son, Harald Bluetooth, in memory of his father.

Rune Symbols Today

A beautifully decorated Viking runestone ( Photo: Lars Johansson / EyeEm via Getty Images)

Rune symbols continued to be used in Scandinavia for centuries after the end of the viking age, with some reportedly as late as the 19th century. And viking rune stones remain popular today both in the study of ancient languages and in fantasy games.

Viking Amber Rune Symbolize Strength

The Uruz rune is one of the most popular runes, and it is also one of the most versatile. This rune can symbolize strength, power, virility, energy, health, and success. It is also associated with courage, determination, and perseverance. In some traditions, the Uruz rune is also associated with fertility and abundance. The name “Uruz” is a debated topic among historians, but the most common interpretation is that it comes from the word “Aurochs” the name for an ancient species of European buffalo, the ancestor of the modern cow. This rune can be used for protection, healing, and PSI work. It is also helpful for increasing strength and stamina. The Uruz rune is a powerful symbol of strength and power, and it can be a potent tool for manifesting your desires.

Amber Gemstone specially selected for their size to fit in the hand.
Special Offer. We can drill a hole and make a Amulet Free of charge you can choose at checkout.

Size approx. 55mm X 35mm X 11mm.
Weight 11g Unique Only One available.

**It has a natural positive energy that brings a sense of calm.
**Use as a self care aid to ease anxiety and stress and aid restful sleep.
**Ideal for use in meditation and mindfulness, as a gift to help ease stress.
**Aid for grounding, balance and calmness
**Each is packaged with a card explaining how it is to be used and the benefits so it makes a perfect gift for a family member going through a stressful time.

Chosen to fit in the palm of the hand. They are not a perfect shape but each is unique and a little quirky, natural and comforting.

It has big, expressive eyes that convey a sense of excitement and curiosity. The Springgle's body may have elements resembling those of a monkey, such as a long tail and nimble limbs, which reflect its playful nature. Discord's Springgle mascot is not just a static image.

It comes to life through animations and illustrations. You may see the Springgle jumping from tree to tree or swinging on vines, showcasing its agility and liveliness. These animations are often used in Discord's marketing materials and featured in promotional campaigns. The Springgle mascot is loved by Discord's community, as it adds a touch of fun and personality to the platform. It brings a sense of joy and adventure to the users' experience, emphasizing the community-driven nature of Discord. This mascot embodies the spirit of communication, collaboration, and discovery, which are key aspects of the Discord platform. In conclusion, Discord's Springgle mascot is a lively and vibrant character that represents the playful and adventurous nature of the platform. With its unique design and animated personality, the Springgle adds an extra layer of fun to Discord's community. It's a beloved symbol that brings people together and encourages communication and collaboration..

Reviews for "Are You Team Sprijgle? How Disxord's Mascot Has Become a Symbol of Identity"

- Sarah - 1 star

I found "Disxord sprijgle mascot" to be a complete waste of time. The characters were uninteresting and the plot was convoluted. The animation quality was mediocre at best, with poorly designed characters and stiff movements. I found myself struggling to stay engaged throughout the entire film and was ultimately disappointed by the lackluster ending. I do not recommend wasting your time or money on this film.

- Mark - 2 stars

While "Disxord sprijgle mascot" had its moments, overall I found it to be quite underwhelming. The story had potential, but it was poorly executed. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult for me to connect with the characters. Furthermore, the animation was subpar, with lazy renderings and uninspired background art. I was hoping for a more captivating and visually stunning film, but unfortunately, this fell short of my expectations.

- Emily - 1.5 stars

I was expecting great things from "Disxord sprijgle mascot" based on the hype, but sadly, it didn't deliver. The storyline was confusing and disjointed, making it hard to follow. The characters lacked depth and development, leaving me feeling detached from their struggles. Additionally, the animation style was unimpressive and lacked creativity. Overall, I was left unimpressed and dissatisfied with this film. Save your time and money for something better.

- Jason - 2.5 stars

"Disxord sprijgle mascot" had potential, but it failed to live up to it. The plot had some interesting aspects, but it felt rushed and poorly thought out. The characters were forgettable and lacked depth, making it difficult to become invested in their journey. The animation was average at best, with nothing particularly stand out about it. While it had its moments, this film ultimately fell short of my expectations.

From Gaming Culture to Pop Culture: How Disxord's Sprijgle Mascot Has Taken the World by Storm