Futhark
The Futhark is the runic alphabet used by the ancient Germanic peoples, named after its first six letters: F-U-Th-A-R-K. Two main forms are distinguished: the Elder Futhark of 24 runes, used from the 2nd to the 8th century, and the Younger Futhark of 16 runes used in the Viking Age.
Origin and etymology
The earliest known runic inscriptions, in Elder Futhark, date from the 2nd century CE. The origins of the runic alphabet remain debated: most specialists derive it from a North Italic alphabet such as Etruscan or Raetic, transmitted to the Germanic peoples through Alpine trade routes. The Elder Futhark has 24 characters arranged in three aettir (families) of eight runes. Each rune bears a meaningful name: Fehu (cattle, wealth), Uruz (aurochs, strength), Thurisaz (giant, ordeal), and so on. The Kylver runestone on the Swedish island of Gotland (5th century) carries the oldest complete attested sequence.
Evolution and tradition
Around the 8th century, the Elder Futhark was simplified into the Younger Futhark of 16 runes to fit the Scandinavian language of the Viking Age. In parallel, the Anglo-Saxon futhorc in British territory added characters, reaching 33 runes. Runes were first used for writing: commemorative inscriptions, marking of objects, short messages. Their divinatory use is more disputed: Tacitus, in Germania in the 1st century, describes a Germanic rite of drawing sticks carved with signs, sometimes interpreted as runic use. The modern divinatory dimension of runes was largely reconstructed in the 20th century, notably by Guido von List and then by Ralph Blum in The Book of Runes (1982).
Practical use
Contemporary divinatory use rests mainly on the Elder Futhark of 24 runes. The querent asks a question, shuffles the runes (generally carved on stone, wood or bone), then draws one, three, five or more depending on the chosen spread. Each rune is interpreted according to its reconstructed traditional meaning and its orientation (upright or reversed). On Tarotoui, the Elder Futhark runes are available as a divinatory system complementary to the tarot. Classical spreads include the three-rune spread (past, present, future) and the runic cross in five positions.
Going further
The systematic divinatory character of ancient runes is poorly documented. Academic runologists, such as Ralph Elliott and Michael Barnes, emphasize that the sources on the oracular use of runes remain fragmentary. Modern practice combines historical reconstruction and contemporary creativity. Note also that some runes were misappropriated by Nazi ideology in the 20th century, which colors their perception: the Sowilo rune in particular was used by the SS.