Runic Unicode Block

The Unicode block "Runic" spans from U+16A0 to U+16FF and is dedicated to the runic alphabets historically used to write various Germanic languages prior to the adoption of the Latin alphabet. These alphabets, collectively known as "runor," were employed by early societies such as the Norse, Anglo-Saxons, and other Germanic tribes. The characters within this block represent not only individual runes but also some punctuation marks. The block accommodates the major runic systems, including Elder Futhark, Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, and Younger Futhark, providing a digital means to preserve these ancient symbols that have been found inscribed on stones, wooden objects, jewelry, and coins from antiquity.

Historically significant for its cultural and linguistic heritage, the runic alphabets flourished during the early medieval period, roughly from the 2nd to the 11th century AD. The Runic Unicode block helps facilitate the study and educational dissemination of these symbols, allowing scholars, educators, and hobbyists to digitally replicate runic text with accuracy. Each character in the block conveys phonetic and, at times, symbolic meanings that offer a glimpse into the belief systems and everyday lives of early Germanic peoples. By enabling the digital transcription of ancient inscriptions and manuscripts, the Runic block plays a vital role in the continued exploration and understanding of early European history and linguistics.

View a range of fonts that support the Runic block.

Below you will find all the characters that are in the Runic unicode block. Currently there are 89 characters in this block.