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Rune Codes and Ciphers

Introduction

The word "runa" means "secret" or "mystery" and a culture of secrecy has always surrounded the runes. Due to their magical nature, the runes were not for the uninitiated and so steps were sometimes taken to conceal them from unknowing everyday eyes. Simple codes were used to disguise the fact they were runes. These codes began use in the Elder Futhark period but reached their most prolific during the time that saw the usage of the Younger Futhark(s). Edred Thorsson suggests that these codes may have been used to increase the magical potency of the runes which they concealed.

Most of these cryptic rune systems used a similar method. Each rune was firstly converted to a numeric formula with two components:

• the aett which the rune is found within
• the position of the rune within that aett

The table below can be used to make these conversions. The rows show the three aetts (Freys, Hagals and Tyrs or 1,2 and 3 respectively), and the columns show numeric position within the aett. First find your rune on the table and then read off the vertical (pink) and then the horizontal (light blue) number.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1
2
3

So for example, Thurisaz (Thorn) is found in the first aett in position three which gives us 1:3 and Berkana (Beorc) is found in the third eight in position two, giving us 3:2

Having obtained this numeric formula, it was then disguised as we shall see if we take a look at some actual rune ciphers

Tent Runes

Here one starts with a basic "X" shape to the lines of which, diagonal strokes are added in a clockwise rotation as shown below:

So if we take Tiwaz (Tir) which has the numeric formula 3:1, we represent it by adding three strokes to the top left of the "X" shape and one stroke to the top right, so

Here we have a group of Tent Runes representing the name Tina:

Tiwaz (Tir) - 3:1, Isa (Is) - 2: 3, Naudhiz (Nyd) 2: 2, Ansuz (Os) - 1:4.

Branch Runes

These are a simpler cipher than tent runes but using a similar method. The basic shape is a single vertical stroke (like an "I") to which upwardly curving strokes are added to show the numeric formula. Strokes on the left hand side indicate the aett and those on the right show the position.

Here we have a group of Branch Runes representing the name Neal:

Naudhiz (Nyd) - 2:2. Ehwaz (Eh) - 3:3, Ansuz (Os) - 1:4, Laguz (Lagu) - 3:5

If you have a piece of text rather than just a single word, change the orientation of the strokes on the left hand side so so they curve downwards for each letter in the second word, and then return to curving upwards for the third word, and so on.

Assuming you have explored the Rune School site thoroughly you will be aware that we have no claim to be great artists, in fact no claim to be any sort of artists. This then is one of the advantages of these rune ciphers, they do not require artistic skill, if they are uneven, odd-shaped etc it doesn't really matter as long as the reader can count the number of strokes easily enough.

Hook Runes

These are a similar cipher to branch runes, but the side branches curve downward rather than upward.

Tree Runes

Another similar cipher but using downward diagonals to produce something looking not unlike a fir tree. Here we see the name Cindy in Tree Runes:

Kenaz (Cen) - 1:6, Isa (Is) - 2:3, Naudhiz (Nyd) - 2:2, Dagaz (Daeg) - 3:7,
Jera (Ger) - 2: 4