THE ELDER FUTHARK. Runic alphabets / Runes / Futhark. Little is known about the origins of the Runic alphabet, which is traditionally known as futhark after the first six letters.
In Old Norse the word rune means 'letter', 'text' or 'inscription'. The word also means 'mystery' or 'secret' in Old Germanic languages and runes had a important role in ritual and magic. Here are some theories about the origins of runes: The alphabet was probably created independently rather than evolving from another alphabet. Runic writing was probably first used in southern Europe and was carried north by Germanic tribes. Rune Meanings - The Elder Futhark. I work with the "Elder Futhark", the runic alphabet which is a composite of the runic symbols most commonly used in northern Europe.
The names of the runes of the Elder Futhark are speculative recreations of what linguists call "proto-Germanic", which stems from "proto-Indo-European". There are many versions of the runic alphabets. Each has variations in names, shapes, esoteric meanings and magical uses. One should not mix futharks, or the intent or meaning becomes confused. The Elder Futhark, the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, and the Younger (or Scandinavian) Futhark are the most frequently seen versions of the runic alphabets in use today.