Viking Rune Jewelry: The Wheel of the Universe
Rune is the most famous Viking alphabet. In the Viking times, however, the Vikings did not use runes to communicate among their community. Rather, they used runes as a means of foster communication with the Gods.
HOW WERE RUNES INTRODUCED TO THE COSMOS?
No one knew how runes came into being. What was known was that runes just existed. But they were kept secret until Odin got the ability to decipher runes. With the burning desire of learning, Odin was willing to make any sacrifice only to gain more wisdom.
Odin hanging himself as a sacrifice
Runes were carved onto the trunk of Yggdrasil Tree of Life but they never revealed themselves. Odin had to hang himself on the Yggdrasil Tree for nine days and nine nights. He refused any offer of help from other gods. He just hung there without eating and drinking, with his Gungnir spear stabbed in his chest. The final prize for this sacrifice *DRUMROLL* was runes. Runes carried within themselves the destinies of all beings in the cosmos. Maybe because of this sacred origin, runes were respected. In the Viking times, only some of the wealthy afforded to have their children taught runes. Anyone that could read runes in the Viking age was held in high esteem.
THE MEANING OF RUNES
The common runic alphabet we know these days is the Elder Futhark. It consists of 24 runic letters. Each runic letter presents a kind of holy power or is associated with a God in Norse pantheon. Runestones are found in the Viking sites with many mysterious Viking symbols. The meaning of each runic letter is explained carefully in 3-part blog posts on BaviPower:
VIKING RUNE JEWELRY IS WHEEL OF THE UNIVERSE
It is not an exaggeration that the Rune Circle is like a Wheel of the Universe. Each runic letter occupies a certain place in the Rune Circle. If one letter misses, the wheel will not work as smoothly as it once was. With the circle of the runes, the wheel of the Universe keeps spinning. If we can decipher the philosophy of the rune circle, we will see through the philosophy of the Universe. The universal laws will come into our mind if we know the motion of this Wheel.
But we read runes' meanings separately without putting them into the context of the Wheel, don't we? However, with what have been passed down to us these days, we will not know thoroughly the meaning of one rune, let alone the whole Elder Futhark. There always seems to be a veil dividing us and the Wheel that we cannot immediately lift. This doubles the mystique of runic circle.
Such hidden beauty of the Rune Circle inspires the jewelry design with this pattern. Rune Circle Jewelry bears within themselves not only the power of the divinities but also the philosophy of the whole cosmos. Though the step to master such philosophy is not likely to happen immediately, the Rune Circle Jewelry reminds us that Odin's blood and desire of bettering ourselves through knowledge are still running in our veins. Rune Circle Jewelry is the best reminder that we are the offspring of Odin and we worship the Norse gods.
Viking Jormungand Rune Circle Pendant
Check out other Rune Circle Jewelry on BaviPower HERE
