While ultimately this interpretation is personal and may not be exactly what the maker intended, as you practice you will become more adept at reading these powerful symbols. Does it convey protection, strength, or wisdom? Does it relate to a specific goal or intention? As we journey from the Elder Futhark to the Younger Futhark, around the 8th century, we see a reduction in the number of runes. Its name, derived from the Old Norse word ‘mar’, translates to ‘man’. Once you have a basic understanding of the individual runes and their meanings, look at the overall symbol and consider what it might represent. The Mannaz rune, nestled between Ehwaz, the horse rune, and Laguz, the rune of water, holds a special place in this ancient alphabet. Is there a dominant rune that stands out? Is there a balance between the different symbols? Consider the placement of each rune and how they interact with one another. If you’d like to try to interpret someone else’s bindrune, start by breaking down the individual runes within the sigil and researching their meanings. Sowilo is also worth comparing to Raidho because whereas Raidho represents the solar wagon, Sowilo represents the solar wheel. Sowilo is an extremely positive rune representing the sun (whereas Kenaz represents a torch in the dark). It is also the eighth and final rune of Hagals Ætt. Personally I think that’s what makes bindrunes so powerful, that once they’re made, only the maker will know the true intention. Sowilo is the sixteenth Elder Futhark rune.

To learn more about the ættir and the runes, check out our post on The Elder Futhark Ættir and Their Significance.

Freyrs Ætt generally focuses on creative and productive forces. In some cases you can extrapolate the runes involved and infer meaning, but in others it is nearly impossible to know exactly which runes were used in the symbol. Ansuz is the fourth rune of Freyrs Ætt, and it focuses on messages from others and the divine. The Anglo-Saxon futhark was used in England by the inhabitants of that land to write Old English. The Younger Futhark was used to write Old Norse and was the one in common use during the Viking age. Since many runes share common lines, it’s incredibly difficult to interpret a bindrune. With the futharks depicted on here the oldest is the Elder Futhark and that was used to write the proto-norse language.

Elder futhark rune bind