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Runes
are letters comprising the runic alphabets that were employed in writing
numerous Germanic languages before it adopting the Latin alphabet. The study of
runic inscriptions, runestones and the history of the alphabet called Runology,
is also considered a special branch of Germanic linguistics.
Earliest
evidence of runic inscriptions date back to 150 AD. They were discovered in
Denmark and Germany. As Christianity spread in Europe from 700 to 1100 AD,
runes were gradually supplanted by the Latin alphabet though its use in special circumstances still
persisted.
The three
widely-recognized rune alphabets are:
Anglo-Saxon
Futhorc (400 to 1100 AD)
Elder
Futhark (150 to 800 AD)
Younger
Futhark (800 to 1100 AD)
The
Younger Futhark is divided into three: the staveless runes, the Rok runes and
the Danish runes. It also later developed into the Medieval runes and
Dalecarlian runes between 1500 and 1800.
The
runic alphabet was derived from the ancient Italic alphabets. However, there is a deception on which particular
variant of the Old Italic was the runes based on. It could be either Old Latin,
Etruscan or Raetic. During that time, those scripts are written in the same
angular way perfect to the study of ancient inscriptions.
In
the Norse mythology, runes certified beliefs on divine origin, as based on
inscriptions dated 600 AD. A poem in Elder Edda an alternate story on how the
runes was learned by humans was related. According to the poem, Heimdall had 3
sons on mortal women. His children were named Jarl (noble), Churl (freeman),
Thrall (slave) who were believed to be ancestors of the 3 human society
classes.
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