Runes

ancient writing · Germanic peoples · alphabet

Letters with power. Runes were the alphabet used by Germanic peoples like the Vikings and Germans. Each rune was a letter that made a sound, but it also stood for an idea or concept, kind of like a symbol with extra meaning.

Written in stone. People carved runes onto stones, wood, and metal objects to leave messages and marks. Some of these ancient runestones still exist today and help us learn about the people who made them.

Special study skill. Runology is the fancy name for studying runes, ancient runic writing, and runestones. Runologists are like detectives who piece together clues about how Germanic peoples lived and what they wanted to communicate.

Related alphabets. Runes weren't just one alphabet but a whole family of related writing systems called rune-rows or futharks. Different Germanic groups had their own versions of runic alphabets with slightly different letters.

More than words. Beyond just writing down words, runes might have been used as symbols with special meanings or even magical purposes in Germanic culture. This made them more than just an alphabet, and more like a code full of significance.