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Runes: Northern Europe
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Runes are an alphabetic script used by the peoples of Northern Europe from the first century c.e. until well into the Middle Ages. In addition to their use as a written alphabet, the runes ... served as a system of symbols used for magic and divination. Runes fell into disuse as the Roman alphabets became the preferred script of most of Europe, but their forms and meanings were preserved in inscriptions and manuscripts.
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Runes were the alphabet of choice for many different cultures, including the Germans, English, Danish, Norwegians, Icelandic and Russians. They were spread throughout the Northern European continent by trade traffic, travelling adventurers and warriors. Their popularity spans from the first century AD until well into the Middle Ages.
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R[U]nes are characters in the ancient alphabet used by Anglo-Saxon peoples. Runic inscriptions have been found all over western Europe, on stone monuments and on such objects as metal spearpoints and amulets; the greatest concentrations are in England and Scandinavia. The runic alphabet, called futhark after the sounds of the initial letters, originally had 25 characters.
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Runes are alphabetical signs at least eighteen centuries old elaborated by ancient European people. These signs at one time were used in poetry, stone carvings and to foretell the future by ancient tribes such as the Germans, Celts and Vikings.
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The Viking invaders spread runes throughout Europe, Russia, and Britain; rune usage was at its hight during the Dark Ages. In Britain the runic alphabet was called futhorc, because the first letters were F, U, TH, O, R, and K. The earliest version of the futhorc alphabet had twenty-four letters divided into three groups of eight. The groups were names after Norse deities: Freya, Hagal, and Tiu. Runes coexisted for centuries with Christian symbols such as the cross.
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Sometime around the fifth century AD, changes occurred in the runes in Frisia (the area around the northern Netherlands and north-western Germany). This period coincided with the Anglo-Saxon invasions from this area and the appearance of similar runes in the British Isles. The forms of several of the runes changed, notably the runes for A/O, C/K, H, J, S, and Ng. Also, changes in the language led to between five and nine runes being added to the alphabet to compensate for the extra sounds, and several runes were given different corresponding letters. This alphabet has become known as the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc.
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