What is the Younger Futhark? – The Viking Alphabet

The runes were the Vikings' own writing system – their alphabet. The Younger Futhark, used during the Viking Age, consisted of only 16 characters but could express the entire Old Norse language.

Behind these simple symbols lies the story of language development, faith and culture , and how the Norse people created one of history's most unique alphabets.

The origin of runes – from magic to language

Runes are much older than the Vikings. The oldest runic inscriptions are over 1,800 years old and belong to a system called the Elder Futhark , with 24 characters .
The name futhark comes from the first six runes: F – U – Þ – A – R – K , much like our “alphabet”.

When the language of the Nordic countries changed around the 8th century, the script also adapted. The result was the Younger Futhark – the Viking alphabet, which was used from around 800 to 1100 AD.

From 24 to 16 runes – when the language changed

The Younger Futhark is unique in world history: while most languages developed more characters, the Norse did the opposite – they reduced the number of runes.

From 24 to just 16.

It sounds strange, but the change followed the sound changes in the Old Norse language . Some runes were allowed to represent several sounds at the same time.

Example:

• The rune ᚠ (f) could stand for both f and v.
• The rune ᚢ (u) could mean u, o, y, ø or w.

For today's readers it's confusing – but for the Vikings it was natural. They knew instinctively how to pronounce the words.

How the runes were carved

The runes were usually carved in wood, bone, metal or stone . Because the surfaces were hard, straight lines were used instead of rounded shapes.

The carvers – often called rune masters – used a knife, chisel or hammer and chisel . Many runic inscriptions proudly tell who “carved the stone”:

“Thor carved these runes after his brother.”

It shows that rune carving was a craft and an honor – a combination of language, art and faith.

Runes as symbols and magic

The runes were not just letters – they were symbols with power .

According to myth, it was Odin who discovered the runes when he sacrificed himself on the world tree Yggdrasil. Therefore, it was believed that the runes could:

• Protect against accident
• Give victory in battle
• Used in divination and magic

Runes were carved on weapons, jewelry, and amulets for protection and good luck.

They were thus both practical signs and sacred symbols – an alphabet loaded with meaning.

The Viking alphabet spreads

The Younger Futhark spread throughout the Viking world: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland – and further to England, Ireland, Russia and Greenland through trade and travel.

There are over 6,000 preserved runic inscriptions from the Viking Age today. Most of them are found in Sweden – in fact, more than half of all the world's runestones!

The texts tell about:

• Travel and Adventure : “He died in England.”
• Family and love : “Tola erected the stone after her husband.”
• Faith and Transition : “God help his soul.”

The runes became a way of telling stories, remembering and conveying identity in a time of change.

A living alphabet in stone

The Younger Futhark was more than a writing system – it was the language of the Vikings in pictorial form .
Each rune carried sound, meaning and power , and could be used for everything from love letters to magical spells.

When we see the runes today, we don't just see ancient signs – we see the voice of the Vikings , carved in stone to speak to the future.