Runic alphabet

The Runic alphabets are a set of related alphabets using letters known as runes, formerly used to write Germanic languages, mainly in Scandinavia and the British Isles. In all their varieties they may be considered an ancient writing system of Northern Europe. The Scandinavian version is known as Futhark (derived from its first six letters: 'F', 'U' 'Th', 'A', 'R', and 'K'), and the Anglo-Saxon version as Futhorc (also so named after its first letters). The earliest runic inscriptions date from ca. 150, and the alphabet was generally replaced by the Latin alphabet with Christianisation, by ca. 700 in central Europe and by ca. 1200 in Scandinavia. However, the use of runes persisted for specialized purposes, mainly in Scandinavia and in rural Sweden until the early 20th century (used mainly for decoration as Dalecarlian runes and on Runic calendars).

Related Topics:
Alphabet - Germanic languages - Scandinavia - British - Northern Europe - 150 - Latin alphabet - Christianisation - 700 - 1200 - Sweden - 20th century - Dalecarlian - Runic calendar

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The three best known runic alphabets are:

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• the Older Futhark (ca. 150–800)
• the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (400–1100)
• the Younger Futhark (800–1910)

The Younger Futhark is further divided into:

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• the Danish futhark script
• the Swedish-Norwegian runic script (also: Short-twig or Rök Runes)
• the Hälsinge Runes (staveless runes)
• the latinised Dalecarlian futhark script (ca. 1500–1910)

The most likely candidates for the origins of runic scripts are the 5th to 1st century BC Northern Italic alphabets, Lepontic, Rhaetic and Venetic, all closely related to each other and themselves descended from the Old Italic alphabet. These scripts bear a remarkable resemblance to the Futhark in many regards.

Related Topics:
5th - 1st century BC - Northern Italic alphabet - Lepontic - Rhaetic - Venetic - Old Italic alphabet

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Runic alphabet: Background ►