Scandinavian runes: just scribbles or a really working system?

What are the Scandinavian runes? Roughly speaking, this is the writing of the northern peoples.

But is everything so simple? If we look at the origin of the word "rune", then clearly one can distinguish the root of the RU, which goes back to the word "mystery". That is, in addition to the fact that the runes are a living alphabet in the past, it is also a secret system. Yes, the common people knew some values of runes, people knew how to apply them. But there were few real masters who could predict the future and heal, using seemingly simple letters. Scandinavian runes were sent by the god Odin in the course of his mystical experience. So, the legend says that One hung for 9 days and 9 nights on the tree of Yggdrasil, pierced by his own spear. It's not just ash, it's the World Tree that connects the three worlds - Helheim, Midgard, Asgard. Also Yggdrasil has 9 roots and 9 branches, according to the number of worlds in the mythology of the Scandinavians. Thus, Odin received Scandinavian runes during a ritual initiation, similar to a shamanic ritual death. One must go beyond his Self in order to travel through the nine worlds. And in the view of the Vikings, it's easiest to do this to someone who has died in this world. Therefore, the Scandinavian runes can be considered an ecstatic experience, which Odin gave to people.

Runes, in particular Scandinavian, were common in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Most of the runic monuments are in Sweden. There is evidence that runes were used even in Novgorod, not to mention Britain and Greenland. The greatest popularity was given to gravestones with runes. In general, so you can apply the Scandinavian runes: amulets do, guess, even treat with their help you can. But, as in ancient times, few people own this art. It was found that the inscriptions on the gravestones should protect them from evil spirits. Runet wards on arms were designed to make him invincible. The inscriptions on the chain armor and helmet, on the other hand, had to protect the wearer from blows with the help of magic.

Returning to the runes, it should be noted that the concept of "Scandinavian runes" includes 24 signs that are used in magic, and one additional - empty - rune, which is used in divination. The runic alphabet consists of 24 runes, as mentioned above, which are divided into 3 atta by 8 runes. Each atta has his own god-protector. Thus, for the first att, conditionally speaking, the god Freyr answers, for the second - Hagal, for the third - Tyr. The number 8 is not accidental, since it is a symbol of the cycle of life, infinity. In addition, s = 4x2. The number 4 of the Scandinavians, like many other nations, means harmony. Number 2 symbolizes the eternal struggle of opposites. The fact that atta 3, too, carries a deep symbolism. So, the Scandinavians believed that there are three main worlds - Asgard, Midgard, Helheim. That is why the Scandinavian runes are grouped in this way. Divination is another area of their application. However, few people could guess the runes too. We have reached the simplest techniques of divination. For example, you can pull out one rune, asking a question, and then interpret it. A more complicated version is the so-called Odin's Divination, when you need to pull 3 runes. The first means the cause of the problem, the second is its current state, the third is the possible solution.