Study › Runes & Norse › The Order of the Runes
The Elder Futhark has 24 runes in a fixed order, but two early rune rows disagree in two places: Eihwaz and Perthro, and Othala and Dagaz.
A fixed order, almost
The 24 runes of the Elder Futhark have a fixed order, but not quite the same order in every source. Two early rune rows disagree in two places.
The Kylver Stone
The Kylver Stone, from about 400 CE, holds the oldest complete row. In it Perthro comes before Eihwaz in the middle of the row, and the row ends with Dagaz, then Othala.
The Vadstena bracteate
The Vadstena bracteate, a gold pendant of the 6th century, swaps both pairs: Eihwaz before Perthro, and Othala before Dagaz at the end. It is also one of the oldest finds that split the row into three groups of eight, the ættir.
Which order is right?
Neither order is the "true" one; both were carved by people who used the runes. This app follows the Vadstena order, as many modern books do: Eihwaz and Perthro are the thirteenth and fourteenth runes, and Othala and Dagaz the last two.
Read the Elder Futhark and the Kylver Stone.
Questions
How many runes are in the Elder Futhark?
24.
What is the last rune of the futhark?
Othala or Dagaz, depending on the source.