An unbelievable video about Vikings, the Fearsome Legendary Norse Warriors. These fierce warriors had advanced skills in shipbuilding and navigation, allowing them to traverse vast oceans with their iconic longships in search of new lands to conquer.
BERKANA woodcut print rune deck hand made by PJ Superior features each of the 24 Elder Futhark runes (plus a ”Wyrd” card) carved by hand into birch wood and printed in a hand cranked barrel press. (The backs printed with a spoon.) Along with the rune symbols, each associated Norse word along with a simple, deeply meaningful illustrative border is carved into the wood from which these cards are printed. The Norse rune symbols are still the main visual focus.
The woodcut print method used to create this hand crafted set of cards ensures that the wood carving typical of the most ancient sets of casting runes is still present in this contemporary deck.
I call this rune deck BERKANA after the 18th rune in the Elder Futhark alphabet, because it means “birch” which is the same type of wood used for the carving of this deck. In runic divination, Berkana represents growth, renewal, and hope.
A home made guide booklet, sewn by hand, is included to share interpretations for divination. The guidebook includes cultural background and history of the Elder Futhark runes, as well as insights into the inspirations and meanings of the artistic imagery accompanying each symbol.
“This Viking Age spear was discovered in Gotland, Sweden, with runic inscriptions. The spear, dating from 800 – 1100 CE, has a silver socket bearing the inscriptions. The inscription can be found in Rundata under the signum G 225. The runes and transliteration are as follows:
A) ᚱ ᛆ ᚿ ᛁ : ᛆ ᚭ ᚦ ᚾ ᚢ ᛁ ᚴ ᚢ ᚱ
B) ᛓ ᚢ (ᚴ*) ᚠ ᚢ ᛋ ⋮ ᚠ ᛅ ᛁ
In Old Norse, it reads:
A) Rani ā þann vigur.
B) Bōtfōss fāði.
This translates to "Rani owns this spear. Bótfúss coloured." This discovery provides a fascinating glimpse into the Viking Age and the culture of the time”.
When dealing with runes, their name should be analyzed first. The alphabet is called “Futhark” based on the beginning letter of the first six runes’ names.
“Runes” aren’t a singularity. There’s the Elder Futhark and the Younger Futhark, also called Futhork. Than there’s also regional varieties such as the Nordic runes, Frisian runes, Anglo-Saxon runes and varieties due to changes through time. Something that looks like a rune but isn’t is called a “tectiform”.
Etymological there are plenty of Germanic varieties of the word. Rún is Old Norse/Nordic, Old Saxon rūna, Middle Dutch’s rune or ruin and rúna in Gothic. In Finnish runo means “poem”.
The word “rune” in essence means “secret” but is also a word used for “confidential conversation/writing”, “concealment” but also “counseling”.
The meaning of the word was held literally. It was not meant for basic administration, conversation or education. Few people actually knew how to read or write runes. It was reserved for a select but also elite part of society.
This brings us to Odin. The tales tell how he hung himself from the branches of Yggdrasil for nine days to gain the knowledge of runic wisdom. This makes him the god of the hanged (Hangagud), god of runes (Rúnatyr), father of magical songs (Fadir Galdrs) and wise one (Svidur). Knowing runes was viewed as knowing (some of) Odin’s magic and/or power.
Runes were used for “runic magic” a not very specified kind of magic in the Eddic texts. Individual runes were given names, such as the first rune, Fehu which means cattle or wealth. Naming individual characters is a common historic practice. These are not to be taken literally, but often are in modern esotericism and fantasy. Germanic Runic spells however are a weird thing. There are mystical inscriptions on the back of brooches, stones, wooden artifacts, etc. We know what they say, but not what they mean.
Mostly runes aren’t actually that far fetched. They are found on grave/memorial stones or a craftsman’s signature on an object. An example of this is the Nolby stone; “Bergsven and Sigfust and Fride raised this stone in memory of Bure, their father. Fartägn carved this stone”.
I deciced to get the same tattoo as Astreus from God of War. I absolutely adored gow 4, but gow Ragnarök made me love this character even more. One of the best games I’ve ever played.