Runes are used in many ways in the modern world. Literature,games,popular television shows,and even bluetooth technology. Runes have a prominent place in the world of fantasy literature. Many novels in this genre contain the use of writing in runes many times distinguished as Elven scripture. We even see them in some of the television shows we watch. Used as a wrtten language or source of a magical power. We may not recognize this at the time but many fantasy/science fiction shows use runes in a way unique to thier stories. They also show up in videogames and that may be by far the most popular medium in the modern world today. Runes in videogames tend to only apply with the fantasy genre given the runes mythological reputation as a magical source of writing and such. But it is apparent that runes have affected our way of life in many ways. Even wireless technology has roots in rune usage such as bluetooth. They use a logo of a bindrune in the form of an H and a B the initials of a Danish king by the name of Harald Blatand back in the 10th century. So it would to me that runes even though and ancient form of writing has been utilized in many of the things we see today. There has been controversy not so much with runes but mainly what they are associated with. Such as the graphic nature of the shows they appear in or especially videogames. But with their deep mythological roots they have a certain mysticism to them that many find deeply entertaining. But there are those who tend to take everything out of context and make the issue bigger than it is. So they have both had a positve and a negative effect depending on where you stand.



Source frome Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Ok, I will jump in here! Runes are all around us! Mabye not the ancient type always, but they are all around us! Movies, books, palmisrty, jewelry, encripted messages during wars, role palying games...you name it, it's probably been made with runes on it. Even Hitler used them to send coded messages. Did you know that before his reign, the swastika was known around the world as a symbol of happiness and good luck? How crazy that one man changed how we percieve a symbol! Some soldiers in WW1 bought amulets carved with runes to wear for good luck during battles. Some occultists created a series of rune exercises, where they would contort them selves into rune like shapes and yodel, which released magical energy. Many movies these days use runes as well. Just recently the Divinci Code used all sorts of incrypted codes and cyphers to hunt down the Holy grail. There has been a huige demand for encoding toys etc. Lara Croft Tomb Raider is just another movie that has heavily used runes. Dungeons and Dragons players also use runes in their role playing. I believe people like to use runes or have them around because it connects us with our past. Kinda going back to the basics, the way our ancestors did. The effect that the use of runes has had on pop culture is quite positive. People are always looking for the "cool" new thing, and runes and ancient writtings is just that! As far as being taken out of context, I think as with any thing that is as subjective as ancient runes are, it's gonna happen. Unfortunately we weren't left with an indepth instruction guide as to how to use the runes and what they all meant exactly. We basically have to go off of what carvings and writtings we findl. These don't help us with things such as shortened words that some tribes may have used, kinda like we have slang words. So just like the swastika started out as a symbol of hope and happiness, and was change to a symbol associated with murder and fear, it can also happen with any rune.







http://www.afternight.com/runes/runes7.htm

I'm not really understanding this. Would we count statues and old buildings that are in disrepair as ruins...

Runes today normally appear in modern popular culture – in fantasy literature, in esotericism, in television, in Bluetooth, and most especially in role-playing games. One example is in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Cirth, wherein Dwarves used a runiform Elvish writing system. Esotericists interpret the ideograms contained within the Proto-Germanic Elder Futhark and other Runic systems. In television and games, runes are interpreted as either a written language of an alien race (e.g. Stargate SG-1) or used to write short messages. Meanwhile, the logo for Bluetooth wireless personal area network standard features a bindrune of h and b, the initials of 10th century Harald Blåtand after whom its standard is named. Whether runes have a positive or negative effect depends on what the media wants us to think about runes. Some people might grasp it as a negative effect, believing that runes originated from the occult or something. But seriously, runes have no harm in the modern world, since it is only used for entertainment.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org

These are some of the runes used in modern history

The Beast Rune


The Moon Rune


The Dragon Rune


The Gate Rune


The Begining Rune


The Rune of the Souleater (life and death)



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_True_Runes


(sorry i havent got time to finish becuase im at school will be on soon to edit it)

Please excuse me if I am completing this wrong as this is the first class I have participated in on this site.

I think it would be easier for me to concentrate on one aspect of runes as there are many different paths to focus on, yet too vast for one discussion post.

According to the Eddas, the poetic saga of the Norse Gods, the Runic alphabet was a gift from Odin. The word 'rune' means 'whisper,' or 'secret wisdom.' The runes originated around 200 B.C.E., as magical symbols engraved in stone; they were developed into the first Rune alphabet, the "elder" Futhark. An epic "Rune poem," written in Old English around 1000 C.E., outlined the metaphorical and divinatory meanings of the characters, which at that time numbered at thirty three.

The following table gives the characters of the Elder futhark and their divinatory meanings:


name: divinatory meaning:

Fehu Money, finances, possessions; material goods or wealth

Uruz Strength; virility
Thurisaz Gateway, beginning
Ansuz A message or signal, a secret; speech
Raido Travel, sojourn, movement
Kaunaz Openings, shedding light on something, fire
Gibo A gift or blessing, partnerships
Wunjo Joy; happiness, illumination
Hagalaz Disruption, chaos, shattering of illusion
Nauthiz Pain, confinement, limitation
Isa Inaction
Jera Fertility, harvesting, returns; reaping what you've sown
Eihwaz Protection, defense; also withdrawl or barriers
Perth Secrets, initiations, occult or hidden things
Algiz Defense, protection
Sowelu Completion, perfection
Teiwaz (Tyr) Victory, conquest
Berkana Renewal, rebirth, new beginnings
Ehwaz Overcoming barriers, movement, progression
Mannaz The self, humanity
Leguz Water, sea, motherhood; intuition
Inguz Fertility, birth, beginnings
Dagaz Sunlight, enlightenment
Othela The home, hearth, possessions

Thank you Lilyflower.

Ok, I will try to cover what I think with the bullet points above, focusing on modern day usage.


Runes are not used as they once were in the general population, and more often than not, they are varied in usage with practitioners and within religious beliefs such as Paganism.

The exact meaning of runes seem to have been lost in the modern day world. Before the Germanic peoples of ancient Western Europe possessed a true alphabet, they used pictorial symbols to carve into stones their ideas and thoughts. These days, they are focused more upon 'Magick' and beliefs around natures magic.

Many people like using runes today because they are an ancient item, they hold mystique and even occult powers (to some peoples beliefs) yet the idea of fortune telling with these runes are often taken out of proportion and are seen by many as against the true source of power.

It is funny how, with runes being a source of Christianity in the earlier times, that Christians tend to stay clear of them now.

One of the most common runes still used today, are: ' Elder Futhark'

One semi-modern use is the Nazi SS Badge as seen below:

It displays two Sig Runes

In a previous Modern Runes assignment I described the connection in Harry Potter with Runes:

Quote:

Runes are still used in the modern world. Runes have a major part in Germanic Neopaganism in a wide variety of purposes in many parts of reconstrucuionism. Also runes are a form of divination used by Wiccans. Other places runes are used are in fantasy literature, video games, and various other media. A famous symbol, the Nazi SS-Badge, is shown with two Sig runes. Also, it is believed among a few Harry Potter fans, that Harry’s scar is a rune. . Well I at looking at a rune chart and found one on it called sigel, which is also called sowelu. Quote: http://members.tripod.com/~Fugli_Troll/games_runes/rune_def_Sowelu.html It embodies the impulse toward self- realization and indicates the path you must follow, not from ulterior motives but from the core of your individuality. At the same time, for some this rune counsels opening yourself up, letting the light into a part of your life that has been secret, shut away. To accomplish this may call for profound recognitions, for admitting to yourself something that you have long denied. -------- The scar in a way lays out Harry’s path. Also, he needs to open up. In my opinion he is bottling to much in. If he does not talk about what is going on in his head it might start eating him up leading to something bad. Quote: http://www.runemaker.com/futhark/sowilo.shtml Personal Interpretation You have the power to bring things to fruition. Good fortune awaits you and there is a positive feel to everything. This is not a time to rest and relax, but to examine the darker aspects of your nature. The power of the sun will enable you to face them without fear and to overcome them. Seek solutions to problems, they are all within your grasp. --------------- Harry has darker powers in him he probley does not yet know about because he did get some of Voldemort’s powers. Harry may be afraid, but he does cast it away when he is against Voldemort. He overcomes all that has happened. He can overcome his darker powers if they do try to take him over. Which might happen if he lets his anger take over. Quote: Characteristics Although Sowilo is well known as a victory symbol, it can also be used as a force of attack. It is a positive force, because it is the natural power of the sun. Spiritually, Sowilo symbolizes clear vision, and the victories of light over darkness, good over evil. It admonishes one to use the powers of good to vanquish evil. ------------------ This would be Harry having to defeat Voldemort. Good Vs. Evil, Light Vs. Dark. Quote: http://www.runemaker.com/futhark/sowilo.shtml Polarity: Male -------------------------- Just one small thing seeing as Harry is a male. Its tree is Juniper. It is masculine, which goes back to Harry being a boy so it fits. Its powers protection and love. The protection and love goes with it being a result of his mother’s love. His mother’s love was a protection. Also it warns him of when Voldemort is nearby which is sort of a protection. Its plant is Mistletoe. Same powers as juniper. Also its deity is Venus, the goddess of love. Which also involves the whole love factor in the books. Love is the most powerful thing which will protect him from and help him defeat Voldemort. Many runes were used by Nazi’s which added a negative effect with the runes on the modern world. But now that Nazi’s are no longer at their majority, yes there are a few still out there, runes are slowly coming to a more neutral standing. Resources: http://members.tripod.com/~Fugli_Troll/games_runes/rune_def_Sowelu.html http://www.runemaker.com/futhark/sowilo.shtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runes#Modern_use Cunningham’s Encyclopedia Of Herbs- by Scott Cunningham

Sources:
http://hogwarts-experience.heavenforum.com/classes-c1/Ancient-Runes-f30/Completed-Ancient-Rune-classes-f65/Modern-Runes-t3874.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_alphabet

_________________