- RUNES -
The runes we use for our jewelry and our new logo are from the older Futhark runic alphabet, which consists of 24 characters. The runic alphabet is named after its first six characters: F - u - th - a - r - k. It was the first runic alphabet used by man in the Iron Age - the early Viking Age. During the late part of the Iron Age, the futhark was shortened to 16 characters, which also applies to the Viking age futhark. It was only used in the Nordic countries, but the characters have been found in England, Russia and Greenland, carved by emigrant Vikings.
The runes are sound signs just like our letters. The name of the individual rune begins with the sound that the rune denotes: Eg. is called the m-rune * mannaZ, which means "man, man", and the d-rune * dagaZ means "day". The word "rune" itself means speech, song, writing and art.
The great influence of the Roman Empire in Europe in the 1st century has laid the foundation stone for the Viking runes in areas with Germanic tribes. The earliest runic inscriptions were found around the year 150 AD. in the Old Danish areas (Denmark, Schleswig and Scania), and in Denmark the older futhark with 24 runes was used in the very last part of the Iron Age, where rune stones were erected in Denmark.
Our knowledge of the runes comes from engravings in large stones, also called rune stones, found throughout the Nordic countries. They tell of the time of our ancestors and are found at cemeteries, roads, bridges or fords in memory of the dead. Up here in the Nordic countries, the runes have a special development and a very long life.
The runic script itself was used in the Iron Age, the Viking Age and the Middle Ages. Both the language and the runes changed tremendously during the 1,000 years it was used. Although Latin began to be used in the Middle Ages, the runic inscriptions survived as secret written language or strange details.
In Sweden, the vast majority of runes are found, and a visit to Uppland with its runic inscriptions on solid stone blocks and rock faces is definitely worth a visit.
Here in Denmark there are approx. 150 rune stones or fragments thereof. They can be dated back to approx. year 500 AD, and they have been laid exclusively by the upper strata of society.
The Helnæs stone and the Glavendrup stone were erected long before King Harald's large Jelling stone.
On Bornholm, the runestone tradition continued longer than on the mainland and ceased altogether in the 1,000s.
In addition, runic inscriptions have been found on coins, costume buckles, weapons and tools from the Iron Age princely areas, as well as short inscriptions on everyday objects from Viking-era cities and trading posts.
The Vikings have thus used the runes in daily life and for ceremonies and rituals. In Norway and Sweden, rune stones were erected at the burial sites as early as the Iron Age
With Christianity, a new burial custom gained ground in society, resulting in a halt of rune stones as we knew them. Now they were used in Christian cemeteries, and the inscriptions were first made with runes, later with Latin Majuscles. In Norway, runic script and Latin were used side by side for many years before Latin won.
In the table you can see the 24 different runes, their meaning and magical power.
- More Than A Jewelry -
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