DIY · Project 4 of 12
Make Your Own Elder Futhark Rune Set
What it is
The Elder Futhark is the oldest runic alphabet, used by Germanic peoples from roughly the 2nd to the 8th centuries CE. Its 24 letters are named for things in everyday life (cattle, a journey, hail, the sun). Historically runes were mainly a writing system; the practice of drawing runes for reflection, much like tarot, is largely a modern revival, inspired in part by a passage in Tacitus describing lots cut from a fruit-bearing tree.
Making your own set is a meditative way to learn the letters. The meanings below follow the traditional rune names and the Old English, Norwegian and Icelandic rune poems, along with common modern interpretations.
What you'll need
- 24 wooden discs (3–4 cm) or 24 flat smooth stones Affiliate placeholder
- A wood-burning (pyrography) pen with a fine tip, or acrylic paint pens or a fine brush Affiliate placeholder
- Pencil and fine sandpaper (240 grit)
- Beeswax or a natural wood oil to finish Affiliate placeholder
- A cloth pouch to keep them in (see our pouch project)
Step by step
- Sand each disc lightly so the surface is smooth.
- Pencil one rune onto each disc, using the chart below. Keep the lines straight: runes were designed to be carved, so they have no curves.
- Wood-burning: heat the pen and trace each line slowly with light pressure. Let the tip do the work. Painting: paint the lines with a paint pen and let them dry fully.
- Erase any leftover pencil, then rub in a little beeswax or oil with a soft cloth and buff.
- Optional: make a 25th blank rune. Some modern sets include one, but it is a 20th-century addition, not part of the historical Futhark.
- To use: hold a question in mind, draw one rune from the pouch, and journal about how its meaning speaks to your situation.
The 24 Elder Futhark runes and their meanings
The Futhark is traditionally divided into three ættir (families) of eight. Meanings combine each rune's name with the medieval rune poems and common modern usage; scholars debate some (notably Perthro). Some lists swap the order of the last two runes, Dagaz and Othala.
Freyr's ætt
cattle, wealth: abundance, earned prosperity, generosity
aurochs (wild ox): strength, vitality, endurance
giant, thorn: protection, defense, a force to handle with care
a god (Odin): communication, wisdom, inspiration
ride, journey: travel, movement, right action
torch: knowledge, creativity, illumination
gift: gifts, partnership, balance of giving and receiving
joy: joy, harmony, belonging
Hagal's ætt
hail: disruption, uncontrolled forces, change that clears the way
need: need, constraint, patience and resilience
ice: stillness, pause, standstill
year, harvest: harvest, cycles, reward for patient effort
yew tree: endurance, transformation, the link between life and death
uncertain (perhaps a dice cup): mystery, chance, the unknown (its original meaning is debated)
elk: protection, sanctuary, higher guidance
sun: success, vitality, wholeness
Tyr's ætt
the god Tyr: justice, courage, honor, sacrifice
birch: growth, birth, nurturing, new beginnings
horse: trust, partnership, steady progress
man, humankind: the self, community, shared humanity
water, lake: intuition, emotions, flow
the god Ing: fertility, gestation, inner growth
day: breakthrough, awakening, a new dawn
ancestral land, inheritance: home, heritage, what we pass on
Safety notes
- Pyrography: The pen tip reaches 400 °C or more. Use its stand, unplug it when you step away, and work in a ventilated room.
- Wood: Burn only raw, untreated hardwood or plywood. Never wood-burn MDF, painted, stained or pressure-treated wood, which release harmful fumes.
- Stones: Collect stones only where it's allowed (many beaches and parks prohibit it), and keep small pieces away from young children.
Variations
- Clay runes: roll air-dry clay, cut circles and incise the runes with a toothpick.
- Painted stones: use smooth river stones from a craft store and a gold paint pen.
- Rune of the moon: draw a rune at each new moon as a theme for the month.
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