Elder Futhark Alphabet

Elder Futhark is the oldest known runic alphabet. It was used to write early Germanic languages across northern Europe.

24 runes · 2nd–8th century CE

Fehu

f · /f/

cattle, movable wealth

Uruz

u · /u(ː)/

aurochs

Thurisaz

þ · /θ ~ ð/

giant or thurs

Ansuz

a · /a/

god, one of the Aesir

Raidho

r · /r/

ride, journey

Kenaz

k · /k/

torch or ulcer

Gebo

g · /ɡ/

gift

Wunjo

w · /w/

joy

Hagalaz

h · /h/

hail

Nauthiz

n · /n/

need, distress

Isaz

i · /i(ː)/

ice

Jera

j · /j/

year, harvest

Eihwaz

ï · possibly /x/

yew tree

Perthro

p · /p/

meaning unknown

Algiz

z · /z/

possibly elk

Sowilo

s · /s/

sun

Tiwaz

t · /t/

the god Tiwaz

Berkano

b · /b/

birch

Ehwaz

e · /e/

horse

Mannaz

m · /m/

person, human

Laguz

l · /l/

water, lake

Ingwaz

ŋ · /ŋ/

the god Ing

Dagaz

d · /d/

day

Othala

o · /o(ː)/

inherited estate

History

The name Futhark comes from the first six runes in the traditional sequence: f, u, th, a, r, and k. Elder Futhark appears in Germanic inscriptions from about the 2nd to the 8th centuries CE on objects made from metal, stone, bone, and wood.

The rune row later changed in different regions. It expanded into Anglo-Saxon Futhorc in England and Frisia, while Scandinavia developed the 16-rune Younger Futhark used through most of the Viking Age.

Sources

Character order and forms follow Unicode; names and sounds are reconstructed from runological sources.

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