Runes — Definition

The runes were the writing system of the early Germanic peoples. The Elder Futhark, the oldest known set, has twenty-four runes; later Younger Futhark and Anglo-Saxon Futhorc variants differ slightly. Each rune has a name, a sound, and a symbolic meaning — Fehu for cattle and movable wealth, Ansuz for divine speech, Algiz for protection. Modern rune divination usually involves drawing one or more runes from a bag and reading them in position, similar to tarot.

Origin

From Old Norse run, meaning "secret" or "whisper." The same root gives English "rune" and German raunen, "to murmur."

Example

Drawing Berkano in a question about a new project is often read as a fertile beginning that needs gentle tending.