Runes are an alphabetic script used by the peoples of Northern Europe from the first century c.e. 
until well into the Middle Ages. In addition to their use as a written alphabet, the runes also 
served as a system of symbols used for magic and divination.  Runes fell into disuse as the 
Roman alphabets became the preferred script of most of Europe, but their forms and meanings 
were preserved in inscriptions and manuscripts.

The primary characteristic which distinguishes a runic alphabet from other alphabets is that each 
letter, or rune, has a meaning.  For example, whereas "ay", "bee", and "cee" are meaningless 
sounds denoting the first three letters in our alphabet, the names of the first three runes, "fehu",
"uruz", and "žurisaz" are actual words in the Germanic language, meaning "cattle", "aurochs", 
and "giant", respectively.  Runes also have magical and religious significance as well, thus 
transforming the simple process of writing into a magical act.  They are also used for 
divinatory readings and to create magical spells.

Today, runes have been rediscovered as a symbolic system and have gained immense popularity as a means
of divination.  They are, however, much more than a curious alternative to Tarot cards 
for telling fortunes.  They provide a key to understanding the lives and beliefs of the 
ancient people who created them, and have much to teach us about a way of life that was 
perhaps more inimately connected to the natural world, and to the realm of spirit, than our own.