What!? You're still here? Yet more information awaits, there's no (easy!) quiz at the end this time, although there is a set of tasks to help you branch out. So, the basics have been learnt, curiosity still exists and you're come back for more. Ah well. The last Aett is on this page and with it, the last of the information you can commit to memory. After this, you're on your own! Don't worry, there are plenty of places and things still to investigate.
If you haven't read the essay yet, and missed the link at the start, there's another one here. Have a read and tell me what you think!
So, where to go next? It depends on which way you want to go. Wether you are interested in the Anglo - Saxon runes, the Armenian runes, writing in general, the talismanic uses or wether you want to become a professional runecaster. You should know enough information now to branch out on your own in any direction. Take heed, though, learning can be slow and sometimes very frustrating.
The reading gets a bit specialised for this page so pick the bits you are interested in as a start. Check the book reviews pages for more information on each title.
QUIZ - Don't worry, this is the last one! - the downside is that the questions are a little harder!
1. Investigate the differences and similarities in representations of the Sun in 5 other divination systems of your choice - do they all interpret it the same way?
2. Investigate 10 other forms of divination, choose from dice, dominoes, heads, faces, hands, cards, dowsing, tarot, I Ching, tea leaves or any others of your choosing. Do any of these have similar meanings to any of the runes? If so, does any system have an above average proportion of similar meanings?
3. Investigate at least 4 other early alphabets. Try and find examples of the Gothic, Roman, Greek, Hebrew, Egyptian and Ogham systems as a start. (start looking in Development of Language books) What other ancient alphabets can you find which have similar shapes, phonetic sounds, keywords or numbers of letters as the runes? Do any of the letters correspond with the rune letter position? - I'll give you a start - the first letters of the Gothic and Hebrew alphabets are both to do with cattle - good eh?!
4. "Runes where only used as an early writing system" Discuss and agree or disagree in a 500 word maximum short essay.
5. "Runes have no place on modern society" Discuss and agree or disagree in a 1000 word maximum short essay. (This one's a biggie - you can try it with a 6000 word limit as a last resort!! - bonus points for the inclusion of diagrams and drawings which confirm your argument!!)
READING LIST-
There is also a link to a long quote from the saga of Erik the Red. it lists was is thought to be the visitation of a runecaster/prophetess to a prominent house, although runes are never mentioned directly.
Apprentice pages
Novice pages
Book Review
Essay pages
Rune Casting - A Personal Preference
Notes from 'Runes of Sweden' - by Jannson
Notes from 'Anglo Saxon Verse Runes' by Louis J Rodrigues
Quote from the 'Saga of Erik the Red'
Rune 17 - Teiwaz
Rune 18 - Berkana
Rune 19 - Ehwaz
Rune 20 - Mannaz
Rune 21 - Laguz
Rune 22 - Inguz
Rune 23 - Othila
Rune 24 - Dagaz
Rune 25 - The Blank Rune