The history of the Runes
Regardless of which dating interpretation
one chooses to accept regarding their historical origins, I think it is not only sufficient but realistic to suggest
that either way the Runes hail from the mists of time.
Circles in the Sand
Surely two of the most ancient
and archtypal symbols that our ancient ancestors ever drew with a stick in the sand, must have been the sprial
and the X or varations on these two basic graphic expressions.
It is belived by some that both
of these symbols were widely in use by 1800 B.C.E. The spirals being recorded in Crete and the X (Gebo-Partnership) being
utilised throughout Scandanavia. The Runic System was fully developed by 200 B.C.E. However, the period of history before
200 B.C.E is indeed "the mists of time," or at least the fringes of it.
It is here that we encounter the
"mystery" or "secret" characteristics of the Runes. In his book Futhark-A handbook of Rune magic, Edred Thorson says
"The ideographic stage of rune developement is the cradle of rune magic."
And, I would add, of language
itself.
Historians disagree on when runes first
came into use. Since the first objects inscribed with runes date to the second and third centuries A.D., some surmise that
the runic alphabet arose during the first century A.D. Scholars concur that runes grew out of an earlier alphabet, but which
one is unclear. A likely candidate is the Etruscan alphabet. Many argue that the geographic proximity of the Etruscans, who
lived in northern Italy, to the Germanic tribes of northern Europe makes it likely that these two groups had some form of
cultural exchange. Also, similarities exist in some letter-forms of the Etruscan and runic alphabets. Another possibility
for a source alphabet is Latin. Those who subscribe to this theory believe that the numerous commercial contacts between the
Germanic tribes and the Roman Empire during the first century A.D. exposed the former to the Latin alphabet. The Northerners
may have simply borrowed the Roman letters and adapted them to their needs.
The Scandinavians had their own explanation
for the appearance of the runes. According to legend, Odin, chief of the Norse gods, speared himself to a tree in a self-sacrificial
attempt to receive occult knowledge. As he hung suspended for nine windy nights, he learned the mysteries of the runes, which
he then passed on to his people. Since Nordic peoples believed the runic script to be a gift from Odin, they treated it with
great reverence. Belief in the divine origin of the runes also contributed to the idea that runes possessed magical powers.
