The Vikings used a written alphabet and letters called runes.
The Vikings believed that the god Odin gave them the runes as a gift so they were treated with great respect. They also believed that the runes were magical and could tell the future.
The Vikings did not have paper so their history and culture was passed down through stories and poems. Viking runes were carved with a knife or chisel into stone.
To make carving easier, the runes were made using only straight lines. Words were formed by separating groups of runes with a full stop.
Viking warrior swords and spears were normally decorated with runes. The runes showed the owner of a weapon and also gave it 'magical power' and strength in battle.
The Vikings also used runes to inscribe stones to remember dead family and friends. Thousands of rune stones have been discovered in Scandinavia and other lands that the Vikings invaded.
Sometimes, the Vikings also drew pictures such as horses, snakes and Longships on these runestones together with the words. These pictures would sometimes show a Viking story or Saga. Much of what we know about the Vikings comes from archaeologists studying these runestones.
The Viking runic alphabet was called the Futhark.
It was called the Futhark because the first six letters or Runes were: Fehu,Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raido and Kenaz.
(http://www.topicpod.com/vikings/how_vikings_write.html)
The Vikings believed that the god Odin gave them the runes as a gift so they were treated with great respect. They also believed that the runes were magical and could tell the future.
The Vikings did not have paper so their history and culture was passed down through stories and poems. Viking runes were carved with a knife or chisel into stone.
To make carving easier, the runes were made using only straight lines. Words were formed by separating groups of runes with a full stop.
Viking warrior swords and spears were normally decorated with runes. The runes showed the owner of a weapon and also gave it 'magical power' and strength in battle.
The Vikings also used runes to inscribe stones to remember dead family and friends. Thousands of rune stones have been discovered in Scandinavia and other lands that the Vikings invaded.
Sometimes, the Vikings also drew pictures such as horses, snakes and Longships on these runestones together with the words. These pictures would sometimes show a Viking story or Saga. Much of what we know about the Vikings comes from archaeologists studying these runestones.
The Viking runic alphabet was called the Futhark.
It was called the Futhark because the first six letters or Runes were: Fehu,Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raido and Kenaz.
(http://www.topicpod.com/vikings/how_vikings_write.html)
The runestone of Jamtland
Runestones in Sandefjorde