THE OLD FUTHARK RUNES (PRE- AND EARLY VIKING AGE) -- 24 LETTERS The runic alphabet or futhark (the third character has the value 'th') is shown here in one of its earliest forms. It was to be used in the north for more than a thousand years. Originally designed for carving on wood or stone, the angular form of the characters was conditioned by the nature of the material on which they were incised. THE VIKING AGE RUNES -- 16 LETTERS: Danish or "Normal" Runes called LONG TWIG The Swedo-Norwegian or SHORT TWIG Runes