Everything you need to know before getting “Viking sayings in Runes” tattoo
Have you ever come across the idea that having “Viking sayings in Runes” tattoo sounds great? I mean everything related to the Vikings is fascinating right? Their “identical” horned helmet, the “warrior” braiding hairstyle. At least once a time in your life you looked at them, and really wanted the helmet or eagerly wanted to have the hairstyle, right? Okay, if you think the helmet and the hairstyle look silly, you can’t resist a Runes saying tattoo, because it looks fantastic!
For some of you, I suppose you have searched the Runes, and for the rest, I am positive to say that you would like to have some “Viking sayings in Runes” in the back or on your arms. Because they look awesome even if a bypass does not have an idea about the language. However, you might want to take an overview look of history and check the “not aware of many” information I have given below. Then, let see if my advice can help you get an accurate, yet meaningful tattoo.
A brief introduction
Runes, also known as Runic alphabets, were functioned to write various Germanic languages before the appearance of the Latin alphabet. It has many branches, but the most three popular are the Elder Futhark (around 150-800 AD), the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (400–1100 AD), and the Younger Futhark (800–1100 AD). Nowadays Runes is used mostly in magic, astrology and divination by the Pagans who follow a Norse or Heathen-based path. The interesting thing is, the native believes that Runes is bestowed on them from the heavenly deities, it has mystical powerful energy. That is the reason many people use Runes in the form of divination, to address an issue and at the same time, look at the influences of the past and present. If you have a certain knowledge about Germanic, you might find that you can interpret Runes in a specific context, which also applies to “Viking sayings in Runes” in ancient poems.
Elder Futhark
The Elder Futhark Elder Futhark has 24 runes, and over the next few centuries became widely used amongst the many Germanic tribes that lived throughout Europe. By the Viking Age (roughly, 793-1066) the Elder Futhark gradually gave way to the Younger Futhark. We have inscriptions but unfortunately, their meaning is very obscure. Here is the table to instruct you on how to read and write Elder Futhark.
Picture 2. Elder Futhark
Younger Futhark
The Younger Futhark has 16 runes, fewer letters but not indicate that they are simpler but more complicated. Phonetically speaking, the runes of the Younger Futhark were working double to cover the changes that were differentiating the Norse tongues from other Germanic people. This runic alphabet uses the same runic sign for voiceless and voiced consonants (p and b, t and d, etc.) and less logical undifferentiating use of the same runes for various vowels. Here is the table of Younger Futhark.
Picture 3. Younger Futhark
The reason you should consider before having a Runic tattoo
We traveled to World War time, under the Nazi regime, one of the darkest times that ever happened to the human being. Now, look at this symbol:
I think most people have always been aware of it, or have seen it at least once.
Yes, this is Nazi symbol, it is the hooked - cross, rotates 45 degrees on a white circle on a red background. It appears on the party’s flag, badge and armband. It also called the “Swastika”, which surprisingly the symbol had been used in many diverse cultures like ancient Egypt, China, and India. Until the Nazis decided to use this symbol, it had always carried positive meanings throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck.
It was the same case with Runes, and after it had been abused horribly by the Nazis, the entire original meaning was altered and replaced with obnoxious meaning. The Nazi’s twisted ideology believe that the Germanic race was superior to all others. They claimed that it was the Nordic and Germanic people, who were the ancestry of all European people. It was sinister propaganda. Runes, therefore, in a long time, has been the symbol represents supremacist.
For that reason, there are symbols you should be informed before choosing to tattoo them along with your “Viking sayings in Runes”.
This tattoo is called “life rune” taken from Norse Mythology. It signifies life, creation, birth, or renewal. However, an extremist group named “The National Alliance” uses this symbol to denote women in the neo-Nazi and shows white supremacist movements.
Picture 5. Life Rune
This is known as “Othala Rune”, it expresses faith in the pagan religion of Odinism and was originally a symbol of the Vikings. Extremist now use it to promote Aryan heritage and cultural pride in Neo-Nazi and white Supremacist groups.
Some advice so you can get an accurate and meaningful “Viking sayings in Runes”
It is quite a difficult journey to get a tattoo, I know, yet it remains necessary to know the information and have a basic historically background before you get a touch in any languages alongside its symbols from a foreign culture. Hence, these are two pieces of advice I would like to give you so that it can be useful for you to get the best “Viking sayings in Runes” tattoo.
Befriend with Nordic people
There is no way shorter and yet better than being a friend with a native. By becoming a friend with natives, you are firmly guaranteed that the Viking sayings are accurate, with no spelling mistakes or nonsense sentences. Besides, they also know where the best tattoo shop in town is, so you waste no time searching for yourself. It is very productive, plus you have no fear that in the end your effort is meaningless. The Viking’s descendants can be your guided tour too!
Picture 7. Nordic man
Be a self-taught scholar
What if you do not have a Nordic friend? Well, you can become a self-taught scholar by researching about Viking poems and Viking sayings by visiting the virtual or physical libraries. Many books have been translated into English like “Hávamál” (“Sayings of the High One”), it is a series of Old Norse poems from the Viking Age, and it lasted over 1,000 years old. This consists of a collection of proverbs and sayings that are featured the god Odin. You can go to online forums if you get troubles understanding the poems and the sayings.
Lastly, I hope through the information I have presented to you in this article, you are delighted with the knowledge about “Viking sayings in Runes” and inspired to get a unique and meaningful tattoo to yourself.
If you are a Viking person, follow us at https://haquil.com/blogs/viking and check out other interesting Viking stuff!
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