what are runes

Runes are a set of related alphabets native to the Germanic peoples, used to write Germanic languages before they adopted the Latin alphabet, and for specialized purposes thereafter. They are an ancient form of oracle used by those seeking advice, and have a long history dating back to ancient use by Germanic and Nordic tribes. The word "rune" means mystery, whisper, or secret, and runes can be used to represent a sound value (a phoneme) or to represent the concepts after which they are named (ideographs) . Runes were often used in mystical and religious practices by the Vikings, and were believed to have magical powers. They were used for divination or the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or unknown by supernatural means, and would involve casting or throwing rune stones and interpreting the patterns and symbols that appeared. Today, runes are still used for divination and are also appearing in the realm of fashion and body art. It is possible to learn how to read and write runes, and they are similar to doing tarot reading.