Fehu
f · /f/
cattle, movable wealth
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
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.
- The Unicode Consortium, Runic (U+16A0-U+16FF)
- Michael P. Barnes, Runes: A Handbook (2012)