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Runes have been used in Northern Europe since the Dark Ages. When the Romans abandoned Britain around 450AD, waves of immigrants from Europe came and settled along the Eastern seaboard of the country. Angles and Saxons from Germany, Jutes and Norsemen (or Vikings) from Scandinavia, and then the Friesians from Holland. They brought with them their set of ancient symbols known as the runes. Originally there were 24 Runes in the rune-row collectively known as the "futhark" (as opposed to "alphabet"). People used runes in several different ways: for
writing messages inscriptions and epitaphs, as amulets and charms, as an
oracle for use in divination (fortune-telling), and also for rituals,
magic and spells.
the website is quite extensive and covers most aspects of runic knowledge. You can read the history of the Anglo-Saxon rune set from early origins, through the migration to Britain in the Dark Ages when occult practices were at their peak, to mediaeval and modern use in communication, magic and divination. There is a 30 page section on rune meanings where you can also discover the crystals, herbs, flowers, trees and elements associated with each rune. There are further sections on bindrune amulets, runic talismans, divining with casting runes, and dowsing with a runic pendulum. There are some well illustrated articles on the history and culture of the Anglo-Saxons written in plain English with a touch of humour. Or you can simply browse the commercial area featuring retrospective appraisals of Oswald's unique handcrafted rune wares from the past. For a comprehensive guide to all the rune meanings visit
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www.runemaker.com is all about the ancient
Viking and Anglo-Saxon runes.
