Key points
- Runes are letters of the old Germanic alphabets, and each has a traditional name and meaning.
- The Elder Futhark has 24 runes in three groups of eight, called aettir.
- The name Futhark comes from its first six letters: F, U, Th, A, R, K.
- Many rune sets have 25 stones because Ralph Blum's 1982 book added a blank rune.
- Runes give no predictions; people draw them for reflection and divination practice.
What are runes, and what do the runes mean?
Runes are the letters of the old Germanic alphabets, and each rune has a traditional name and meaning. Fehu means cattle and wealth, Isa means ice and Sowilo means sun. Today many people also draw runes as a tool for reflection and divination practice.
Browse our divination range for complete rune sets in pouches, in stones from black onyx and amethyst to moss agate and tiger eye.
Divination means using a tool, such as cards or runes, to prompt thought about a question. The runes themselves are ancient, but rune casting as practised today is largely modern.
A short history:
- The Elder Futhark is the oldest runic alphabet. It has 24 runes and was in use from about the 2nd to the 8th century.
- Its name comes from its first six letters: F, U, Th, A, R, K.
- The Younger Futhark, with 16 runes, followed in Viking-age Scandinavia.
- In 1982, Ralph Blum's The Book of Runes added a blank rune. That is why many sets have 25 stones, not 24.
Runes are also part of a living faith. Norse heathenry is a modern religion that honours the old Norse gods, and for many heathens the runes are a subject of real study and devotion. We give them that respect.
Ready for your first set? The Black Onyx Viking Rune Stones Set of 25 (£18.99) holds 25 polished stones, 210 g in all, in a drawstring pouch. Order by noon, Monday to Friday, and it leaves the same working day. For purple stones, the Amethyst Runes Stone Set in Pouch (£13.99) has 24 rune stones and one blank, each 2.2 x 1.5 x 1 cm.
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What are the 24 Elder Futhark runes and their meanings?
The Elder Futhark has 24 runes in three groups of eight. Each group is called an aett (plural aettir) and takes its name from its first rune: Freyr's aett, Hagal's aett and Tyr's aett. Here are all 24, with the traditional name and meaning of each.
| Rune | Name | Traditional meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ᚠ | Fehu | Cattle, wealth |
| ᚢ | Uruz | Aurochs, strength |
| ᚦ | Thurisaz | Giant, thorn |
| ᚨ | Ansuz | A god (Odin), speech |
| ᚱ | Raidho | Riding, travel |
| ᚲ | Kenaz | Torch |
| ᚷ | Gebo | Gift |
| ᚹ | Wunjo | Joy |
| ᚺ | Hagalaz | Hail |
| ᚾ | Nauthiz | Need |
| ᛁ | Isa | Ice |
| ᛃ | Jera | Year, harvest |
| ᛇ | Eihwaz | Yew |
| ᛈ | Perthro | Lot-cup, mystery |
| ᛉ | Algiz | Elk, protection |
| ᛊ | Sowilo | Sun |
| ᛏ | Tiwaz | The god Tyr |
| ᛒ | Berkano | Birch |
| ᛖ | Ehwaz | Horse |
| ᛗ | Mannaz | Man, humankind |
| ᛚ | Laguz | Water, lake |
| ᛜ | Ingwaz | The god Ing |
| ᛞ | Dagaz | Day |
| ᛟ | Othala | Heritage, ancestral land |
Freyr's aett runs from Fehu to Wunjo, Hagal's aett from Hagalaz to Sowilo, and Tyr's aett from Tiwaz to Othala.
The blank stone in most sets is not one of these 24. It is the 1982 addition, so readers who follow older lore often leave it out.
Learning the shapes is easier with stones in your hand. The Crystal Rune Stones Set in Pouch (£13.99) gives you 25 stones at 1.5 cm each, small enough for any pocket. The Red Jasper Rune Stones Set in Pouch (£14.99) comes in a printed cotton pouch, with 24 rune stones and one blank. Pick one and start learning a rune a day.
How do people use rune stones, step by step?
Most people use rune stones in three ways: one rune a day, a three-rune draw, or a casting on a cloth. Runes give no predictions. By tradition they are a prompt for reflection, used in divination practice.
- Choose a question. Keep it open, such as 'What should I think about today?'
- Mix the stones. Put your hand in the pouch and stir them while you hold the question in mind.
- Draw one rune a day. Take a single stone without looking. Read its name and traditional meaning in the table above, and note what it brings to mind. Many people keep a notebook for this.
- Try a three-rune draw. Draw three stones and lay them left to right. A common layout reads them as situation, challenge and outcome, or as past, present and future.
- Cast the stones. Spread a cloth, take a handful and let them fall. Many readers read only the stones that land face up.
A casting cloth is simply a cloth that marks out your reading space and keeps the stones clean. Our Pendulum Divination Cloth All Seeing Eye (from £2.99) is cotton, 30 x 46.5 cm, printed with an All Seeing Eye and zodiac symbols, in Natural or Gold. It is made for pendulum and tarot readings, and it gives runes a neat space too.
Want a set to practise with? The Moss Agate Runes Stone Set in Pouch (£14.99) has 24 rune stones and one blank in a printed cotton pouch. If you enjoy this kind of practice, our guide on how to use a pendulum shows another simple tool.
2 colours
How do you choose a rune set?
Choose a rune set by stone, size and budget. Every gemstone set in this range holds the same 25 pieces: 24 rune stones and one blank, kept in a pouch. So the choice comes down to look and feel.
- Stone. Pick a stone you love to hold. Many people match it to crystal lore: amethyst, for example, is traditionally associated with intuition. Read more in our amethyst meaning guide.
- Size. Small stones carry well. The crystal set is 1.5 cm per stone, the amethyst set 2.2 x 1.5 x 1 cm and the rose quartz set 2 x 2 x 1.5 cm.
- Markings. Look at the photos to check that the rune shapes are clear and easy to read at a glance.
- Budget. The crystal, amethyst and rose quartz sets sit at the lower end of our range; rainbow moonstone and tiger eye sit at the top.
For a striking set, the Rainbow Moonstone Rune Stones Set in Pouch (£27.49) gives you 25 rainbow moonstone stones, 24 marked and one blank. The Tiger Eye Runes Stone Set in Pouch (£27.49) comes in a printed cotton pouch. More stones are shown below.
Natural stones vary, so each set differs a little from the photo. That makes your set yours alone.
How do you cleanse and care for runes, and what do you pair them with?
Cleanse runes with moonlight, smoke or sound, and keep them in their pouch. In crystal practice, cleansing is a simple ritual many people do when a new set arrives, then from time to time after.
- Moonlight: lay the stones on a sill overnight, often at full moon, and bring them in before strong sun.
- Smoke: pass them through incense or a white sage bundle. Burn it over a heatproof dish, open a window and never leave it unattended. See our sage meaning guide.
- Sound: ring a bell close to the stones for a minute.
For care, keep the stones in the pouch so they do not chip against each other. Keep amethyst and rose quartz sets out of strong sun, as both fade. Keep small stones away from young children.
Runes sit naturally beside other Norse pieces. In the Norse poem Hávamál, Odin hangs for nine nights on a windswept tree, traditionally read as Yggdrasil, the World Tree, to win the runes. The Bronze Odin Norse Viking God Bust (£32.99) is resin with a bronzed finish, showing Odin with a horned helmet and an eye patch, as devotional or decorative art. More Norse pieces are shown below, and our world spirituality range has plenty more. For laying it all out, read how to set up an altar.
Ready to start? Browse our rune sets and pick yours today, with tracked UK delivery, 14-day returns and the first £6 of delivery paid by us on orders over £60. The same range holds crystal pendulums, crystal balls and divination cloths too.
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