By Joseph S. Hopkins
Illustrated by Jacqui Alberts
Hyldyr
ISBN: 978-1-966041-00-9
At the dawn of the Middle Ages, one of Europe’s most important writing systems was the Elder Futhark. This book introduces this runic alphabet, exploring its symbols and how they were inscribed on rune stones and everyday objects.
Excerpt:
The Elder Futhark is a historic alphabet carefully developed and used by an unknown but highly influential group of speakers of an early Germanic language, apparently somewhere from 0 CE to a few hundred years before. The oldest inscriptions on record (at the moment) appear to date from 0-250 CE and a period of development beforehand is expected. The earliest form of the Elder Futhark consisted of 24 different runes, each representing a sound value and its name, a meaningful noun.
Who is this book for?
While this richly illustrated book is likely to appeal most to readers interested in Norse mythology and society, it also offers valuable insights for anyone studying languages in the Middle Ages more broadly.
The Author
Joseph S. Hopkins is a scholar of Old Norse folklore and editor of RMN Newsletter. He is also the founder of Hyldyr, which published this book.
The Elder Futhark: The Oldest Runes
By Joseph S. Hopkins
Illustrated by Jacqui Alberts
Hyldyr
ISBN: 978-1-966041-00-9
At the dawn of the Middle Ages, one of Europe’s most important writing systems was the Elder Futhark. This book introduces this runic alphabet, exploring its symbols and how they were inscribed on rune stones and everyday objects.
Excerpt:
The Elder Futhark is a historic alphabet carefully developed and used by an unknown but highly influential group of speakers of an early Germanic language, apparently somewhere from 0 CE to a few hundred years before. The oldest inscriptions on record (at the moment) appear to date from 0-250 CE and a period of development beforehand is expected. The earliest form of the Elder Futhark consisted of 24 different runes, each representing a sound value and its name, a meaningful noun.
Who is this book for?
While this richly illustrated book is likely to appeal most to readers interested in Norse mythology and society, it also offers valuable insights for anyone studying languages in the Middle Ages more broadly.
The Author
Joseph S. Hopkins is a scholar of Old Norse folklore and editor of RMN Newsletter. He is also the founder of Hyldyr, which published this book.
You can buy this book from the publisher’s website.
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