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The Runic Alphabet.

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Runes were the first writing of the Germanic world, carved into wood, bone, metal, and stone from about 150 CE.

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Their angular shapes fit the blade; the name Futhark comes from the first six letters: f, u, þ, a, r, k.

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Elder Futhark has 24 signs.

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It later split into the expanded Anglo-Saxon Futhorc and the Viking-Age Younger Futhark with 16.

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Runes represent sounds and carry names with meanings—fehu for wealth.

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Inscriptions are brief: names, ownership, trade, law, memorials, prayers, and the occasional charm.

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They can read left-to-right or right-to-left.

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Latin letters spread with Christianity, but runes persisted in Scandinavia for centuries on stones, sticks, and calendars.

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Runic writing: carved, compact, and enduring.