Runes & Norse
The Norse runes are the letters of the Elder Futhark, the oldest rune alphabet. Germanic peoples carved them into stone, wood and metal from about the second century. The Vikings later used a shorter rune alphabet, the Younger Futhark.
Each of the 24 runes is a letter, a sound and an idea at once. Fehu stands for wealth, Uruz for strength, Algiz for protection. That is why people still use the runes today: they read them in rune divination, and work with them in rune magick.
The runes come from the same world as the Norse gods and myths. Odin won them by hanging nine nights on Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Their meanings are kept in the old rune poems of Norway, Iceland and England. Here you will find the meaning of every rune, and the gods and myths behind them.
The 24 Elder Futhark runes and their meanings
Freyja's Aett
Heimdall's Aett
Tyr's Aett
Rune history
History & geography4
Runestones10
The Jelling StonesDenmark's birth certificate, carved in runes.
The Kylver StoneThe oldest complete row of the 24 runes.
The Rök RunestoneThe longest runic inscription on stone.
The Svingerud RunestoneThe oldest datable runestone.
The Snoldelev StoneThe runestone with the triple horn.
The Karlevi RunestoneA Viking poem carved in stone.
The Sparlösa RunestoneRunes and pictures at the dawn of the Viking Age.
The Frösö RunestoneThe northern stone of a land turned Christian.
The Lingsberg RunestoneA family's memorial from the late Viking Age.
The Möjbro RunestoneA horseman carved above the oldest runes.Artefacts5
The Negau HelmetThe earliest Germanic words, before the runes.
The Seax of BeagnothA knife carved with the whole futhorc.
The Gallehus HornsTwo golden horns, and a maker's name in runes.
The Kovel SpearheadSome of the oldest runes, found in Ukraine.
The Vimose CombOne of the first things ever written in runes.Insights14
Bluetooth's Runic LogoHarald Bluetooth's initials, in runes, on every phone.The Lion with Runes on Its ShouldersA Greek marble lion with Viking runes.The Runestone in MinnesotaA runestone in Minnesota, and the long argument over it.The Blank RuneThe 25th stone, and why it is not a rune.Viking Graffiti in the Hagia SophiaA Viking's name carved in Istanbul.Tolkien's RunesThe real runes in The Hobbit, and the Cirth.The Order of the RunesThe 24 runes and the two places they disagree.The Vegvísir Is Not VikingThe wayfinder no Viking ever saw.The Northernmost RunestoneRunes far above the Arctic Circle.Messages on SticksLove notes and orders, carved on sticks.Graffiti in a Stone Age TombNorse graffiti in a 5,000-year-old tomb.A Book Written in RunesA whole book written in runes.The Runes That Were Only CracksA famous inscription that was never there.Runes on Your KeyboardWhy runes can be typed and copied today.
Norse mythology
Cosmology & the Nine Worlds16
Yggdrasil, the World TreeThe ash tree whose three roots hold the nine worlds together.
The Nine WorldsThe nine worlds held in the World Tree.
The Esoteric YggdrasilThe World Tree as a map of the self.
The Web of WyrdThe web of fate that joins every moment.
AsgardThe walled home of the Aesir gods, reached by the rainbow bridge.
VanaheimThe home of the Vanir, the gods of fertility, wealth and magic.
AlfheimThe world of the light elves, ruled by the god Freyr.
MidgardThe world of humans, made from Ymir and ringed by the World Serpent.
JotunheimThe wild land of the giants, the gods' enemies and kin.
Svartalfheim (Nidavellir)The underground world of the dwarves and their forges.
NiflheimThe world of ice and mist that existed before creation.
MuspelheimThe world of fire, guarded by Surtr with his flaming sword.
HelheimThe cold world of the dead, ruled by Loki's daughter Hel.
Bifrost, the Rainbow BridgeThe burning rainbow bridge between the worlds of humans and gods.
Valhalla and FolkvangrOdin's hall of the slain, and Freyja's field for the other half.
Sol and Mani, and the Wolves Skoll and HatiThe sun and moon, and the two wolves that chase them.The Gods22
Odin, the AllfatherThe one-eyed chief of the Norse gods: wisdom, war, poetry and the runes.
Thor, the CharioteerThe god of thunder, his hammer Mjollnir and his fight with the World Serpent.
Loki, Father of LiesThe shape-shifting trickster, his monstrous children and his fate.
Frigg, Queen of the AesirOdin's wife and queen of the gods, who knows every fate.
Freyja, the LadyThe goddess of love, war and magic, who takes half the fallen.
Freyr, the LordThe god of harvest and peace, who gave his sword for love.
Njord, Giver of WealthThe sea god of wind, fishing and wealth.
Tyr, the One-HandedThe brave god of law and oaths, who gave his hand to bind Fenrir.
Heimdall, the White GodThe watchman of the gods, guard of the rainbow bridge.
Baldr the GoodThe shining god whose death foretells the end of the world.
Idunn, Keeper of the ApplesThe goddess whose apples keep the gods young.
Bragi, First Maker of PoetryThe god of poetry, with runes on his tongue.
Sif, the Fair-HairedThor's golden-haired wife, and the hair of gold.
Hodr, the Blind GodThe blind god whose hand killed Baldr.
Forseti, Best of JudgesThe god of justice, who settles every quarrel.
Ullr, the Bow-GodThe god of the bow and the skis, of winter and the hunt.
Vidar, the Silent GodThe silent son of Odin who kills Fenrir at the end.
Vali, Avenger of BaldrThe god born to avenge Baldr, grown in a day.
Skadi, the Ski GoddessThe giantess of winter, mountains, skis and the bow.
Hel, Ruler of Nine WorldsLoki's daughter, who keeps the dead.
Mimir the WiseThe wise keeper of the well, whose head still speaks.
Aegir the Brewer and Ran of the NetThe sea giants: the brewer, the net and the nine waves.Beings & Races17
The Jotnar (Giants)The giants: older than the gods, and their foes and kin.
The DwarvesThe master smiths who made the gods' treasures.
The ElvesThe light elves of Alfheim and the dark elves below.
The NornsThe three women who shape the fate of gods and people.
The DisirThe female spirits who guard a family and its fate.
The EinherjarThe fallen warriors who fight and feast in Valhalla.
FenrirThe giant wolf, bound by the gods, who will swallow Odin.
Jormungandr, the Midgard SerpentThe serpent around the world, and Thor's great enemy.
SleipnirOdin's eight-legged horse, born of Loki.
SurtrThe fire giant who burns the worlds at the end.
Ymir, the First BeingThe first giant, whose body became the world.
AudhumlaThe first cow, who fed Ymir and freed the first god.
KvasirThe wisest being, whose blood became the Mead of Poetry.
Hugin and MuninOdin's ravens, Thought and Memory.
Nidhogg and RatatoskrThe dragon at the root of the World Tree, and the squirrel that runs between.
Tanngrisnir and TanngnjostrThor's goats, eaten and raised again.
Berserkers and Wolf-WarriorsOdin's frenzied bear-shirt warriors, and the wolf-hides.Heroes & Champions9
Sigmund and SinfjötliThe Volsung heroes, the sword in the tree and the wolf skins.
Eric Bloodaxe in ValhallaThe Viking king welcomed into Valhalla.
Hakon the GoodThe Christian king the valkyries took to Valhalla.
Helgi HundingsbaneSigmund's son, the valkyrie's love, honoured in Valhalla.
Harald WartoothThe old king who would not die in his bed.
StarkadOdin's gifts, Thor's curses, and a king hanged.
Bödvar BjarkiThe champion whose spirit fought as a bear.
Ragnar LodbrokThe legendary Viking who died laughing in a snake pit.
HaddingThe king Odin carried, who saw the land of the dead.The Valkyries8
The ValkyriesOdin's warrior maidens, who choose who dies in battle.
BrynhildThe valkyrie behind the wall of fire, and her tragedy.
Sigrún and HelgiThe valkyrie who loved a hero past death.
Hildr and the Everlasting BattleThe valkyrie of the battle that never ends.
Göndul and SkögulThe valkyries who chose Hakon the Good.
The Swan MaidensThe valkyries with swan cloaks, and Völund the smith.
The Weaving ValkyriesTwelve valkyries weave a battle.
The Names of the ValkyriesThe valkyries' names, made of war.Treasures & Weapons12
Mjollnir, the Hammer of ThorThor's hammer: who made it, what it does, and the amulets.
Gungnir, the Spear of OdinOdin's spear, which never misses.
Draupnir, the Ring of OdinOdin's ring that drips eight more every ninth night.
Skidbladnir, the Ship of FreyrFreyr's ship, which folds into a pouch.
Gullinbursti, the Golden BoarFreyr's golden boar, which lights the night.
Brisingamen, the Necklace of FreyjaFreyja's shining necklace.
Gleipnir, the Binding of FenrirThe silken fetter, made of impossible things, that holds Fenrir.
Gjallarhorn, the Horn of HeimdallHeimdall's horn, blown once at the end of the world.
Megingjord, the Belt of StrengthThor's belt, which doubles his strength.
The Sword of FreyrThe sword that fights on its own, given away for love.
Andvaranaut, the Cursed RingThe dwarf's cursed ring, and the doom it carried.
Gram, the Sword of SigurdSigurd's sword, which killed the dragon Fafnir.Myths & Stories25
The Making of the WorldIce, fire, a giant's body, and the first humans.
Odin Wins the RunesNine nights on the World Tree, and the runes.
Odin's Eye at Mimir's WellOdin gave an eye for a drink of wisdom.
The Mead of PoetryHow Odin won the mead that makes poets.
The Building of Asgard's WallThe giant builder, Loki's trick, and Sleipnir's birth.
The Binding of FenrirHow the gods bound the wolf, and Tyr paid with his hand.
The Theft of MjollnirThor in a bridal veil, and his hammer won back.
Thor's Journey to UtgardThor shamed by giants, and the truth behind it.
Thor's Fishing for the SerpentThor hooks the Midgard Serpent.
The Theft of Idunn's ApplesHow the gods lost their youth, and won it back.
The Aesir–Vanir WarThe first war, and the peace that joined the gods.
The Death of BaldrThe mistletoe dart, and the one who would not weep.
The Binding of LokiLoki bound under the serpent until Ragnarok.
Sigurd and the Dragon FafnirThe dragon, the cursed gold, and the hero who killed it.
Ragnarok, the Doom of the GodsThe end of the world, the last battle, and the new world after it.
The Birth of Loki's ChildrenFenrir, Jormungandr and Hel, and what the gods did.
Loki and Sif's HairA prank that gave the gods their treasures.
Thor's Duel with HrungnirThe stone giant, and the whetstone in Thor's head.
Thor and GeirrodThor without his hammer, in a giant's trap.
Hymir's CauldronThor and Tyr fetch the giant's cauldron.
Freyr and GerdFreyr's love for a giantess, and its price.
Skadi's MarriageA husband chosen by his feet.
Odin as GrimnirOdin between two fires, and the poem he spoke.
Odin and VafthrudnirA contest of wisdom, with heads at stake.
Lokasenna, the Quarrel at Aegir's FeastLoki insults every god at the feast.The Wheel of the Year9
The Wheel of the YearThe eight festivals of the pagan year, and their Norse names.
Jól (Yule)The midwinter feast of the returning light.
Dísablót (Imbolc)The feast of the family's guardian spirits.
Várblót (Ostara)The feast of spring and new growth.
Sigrblót (Beltane)The sacrifice for victory as summer begins.
Miðsumar (Litha)The longest day, its fires and flowers.
Freyfaxi (Lughnasadh)The feast of the first harvest.
Haustblót (Mabon)The feast of the completed harvest.
Vetrnætr (Samhain)The Winter Nights, when the dead draw close.Rituals & Customs11
Blót, the Sacrificial FeastThe offering and the feast shared with the gods.
Sumbl and the Oath CupThe sacred drinking feast and its binding vows.
The Temple at UppsalaThe great sanctuary of Thor, Odin and Freyr.
Seiðr and the VölvaThe Norse magic of fate, and the seeresses who practised it.
Útiseta, Sitting OutSitting alone at night to hear the dead and the land.
Ausa Vatni, the Naming of a ChildHow a newborn was named and became family.
Holmgang, the Island DuelThe Viking duel fought under law.
The Nithing PoleThe horse-headed pole raised to curse an enemy.
Taking Land by FireHow the settlers claimed Iceland with fire.
The High-Seat PillarsThe sacred posts that chose where Reykjavík stands.
Funerals and Ship BurialsHow the Norse gave their dead a journey.Folk Belief & Spirits4
Symbols & Staves6
The ValknutThree linked triangles: Odin's mark on the fallen.
The Triple Horn of OdinThree horns for the Mead of Poetry.
The Helm of Awe (Ægishjálmur)The eight-armed sign of protection and its true age.
The VegvísirThe Icelandic wayfinder, and why it is not Viking.
The Troll CrossAn iron charm against trolls, and its true age.
The TriquetraThree interlaced arcs: a symbol the Norse borrowed.The Norse Legacy2
Rune magick
Runic constructs6
BindrunesRunes drawn one over another into a single sign.
Runic StavesRunes arranged freely into a sign for an intent.
Rune FormulasA row of runes chosen for one intent.
Other Graphical Magick ConstructsSigns beyond the runes, from other traditions.
AegishjalmsThe eight-rayed signs of protection.
Vertical BindrunesAll the runes on one upright line.Rune questions7
Can I work with runes if I am not a Norse pagan?Runes are archetypes, open to anyone.Are runes white or black magick?Runes are neutral: it is how you use them.Can I work with runes if I am Christian, Muslim or atheist?Your faith, your decision.What if I do not have any inborn magical abilities?Everyone has some magical power.Is it safe to use runes?How to use runes safely.Why draw runes on the left arm?The left side is the receiving side.Does the moon affect runes?The moon acts on you, not on the runes.