Hand Forged Rune Pendants​

A Brief History of the Elder Futhark Runes

The Elder Futhark runes have garnered much attention and rising interest in recent years, mostly due to movies and stories involving the “Viking culture”.  However, there is much more to them than their use as a simple phonetic alphabet.  From the ancient civilizations throughout Northern Europe, as well as modern people today, these symbols have an inner and outer meaning behind them; including everyday objects, specific trees, elements, and astrological signs.  The runes also represented ancient Deities, each with their own tremendous history and Mythos.  Some of the translations have been proven, some are subjective, and there are a few that we can only guess at.  Spanning everything from faith and community, strength in battle, power of mind, creativity and love, each rune is unique in its own way.

Although there have been multiple dialects over time, including the Younger Futhark and even the Futhorc of Anglo-Saxon England, what we have focused on here is the Elder Futhark dialect, the oldest known runic alphabet that we know of.  The Elder Futhark originated in regions of Germania, some believe it may have been inspired by the Etruscans, although evidence suggests the origin may even be far older.  Spanning millennia, runes have been used by cultures far and wide; including the Dark forests of Germany, the mountains of the Balkans, the seas of the Mediterranean, the shores of Scotland, and the fjords of the many Scandinavian cultures. The simple yet beautiful shapes of the Futhark have also been discovered in North America.

The runes that we hand forge at Dragon’s Head Forge are made using fire, anvil, hammer, and chisel.  Each is created with the intent of each symbol in mind throughout its creation.  Every one is unique and singular, down to every hammer stroke, texture, color, detail, time, and personal energy invested to give them a life of their own.

Christmas Ornaments

Hand Forged and Plasma Cut Bottle Openers