Slavic runic writing. Slavic runes and runic alphabet. Anton Platov "Slavic runes"

Anyone - Scandinavians, Indians, Germans, Egyptians and many other peoples, but not among the Slavs, only not among the Russians. Very often, ancient Slavic runes and their significance are belittled by traditional historians - the value for the history of world civilizations has not been proven, they believe.

However, thanks to the latest research of Professor V.A.Chudinov, it has been proved that the first and most ancient were precisely the Old Slavic runes. The oldest Russian runes were inscribed on stones 24-30 millennia ago. All other runes and hieroglyphs are based on Old Slavic or directly copy them.

About the settlement of the Slavs around the world and that they came from the north from the ancient Daaria (Hyperborea) - the mainland, which was located in the area of the modern North Pole (according to V.A. Chudinov's assumption, this was Greenland). Moving from north to south, all over the world the Slavs carried with them the runic culture and writing. Back in the Middle Ages, Mavro Orbini, forgotten by official historians, wrote about this in his work "Slavic Kingdom".

The most striking fact of runic writing is the Etruscan inscriptions, which can be read only if you use Russian syllabic runes. Even the ancient Romans said: "Etruscan is not readable."

Old Russian runes and their significance in the history of the development of writing

The runes were known and used for writing, with rare exceptions, all the Slavs and the peoples around them. Runic writing (runica) is syllabic, not very convenient for use in everyday life. In addition to syllabic writing, the Slavic Russians used lettering. After the displacement of Vedism by Christianity and the destruction of the layer of the Magi, syllabic runes were used for some time by artisans and merchants in combination with letter writing.

Cyril and Methodius added purely Greek letters to the Russian runic letter writing to denote Greek words and sounds, while removing those letters and sounds that were not perceived by Greek ears and language. There are only 24 letters in the Greek alphabet and they are completely insufficient to convey all Russian sounds. Therefore, the Russian runic script, in which some researchers count up to 144 only the main runes, can in no way be derived from the Greek alphabet.

It was on the basis of the runic writing that practically all the alphabets in the world arose - from the Latin alphabet to the Chinese and Japanese hieroglyphs.

The sacred meaning of Old Russian runes

It is believed that the runes are a gift from the god Veles and were created at the time of the creation of the universe. These are not just letters, they are images that convey information.

The sacred figurative meaning was available only to the Magi and was passed on by them from generation to generation. To understand the true meaning of the runes, it is not enough to know the meaning of a single rune - a lot in the interpretation depends on the order of their arrangement.

It was with the help of the runes that the ancient Russians kept in touch with the gods. Old Russian runes and their importance in everyday everyday life can hardly be overestimated. With their help, the Magi created protective amulets and amulets, conspiracies, fortune-telling and other magical rituals were carried out. For it was required to pronounce the necessary spell. Most often, 18 magic runes were used for sacred purposes:

The rune "There is" is the feminine principle on the entire planet.
Rune "Ud" - male energy and strength.
The rune "Dazhdbog" - symbolizes the fertilization of the Earth, the harvest.
The rune "Chernobog" - reveals the hidden, secret powers of man.
Rune "Rainbow" - a bridge between the worlds of Yavi and Navi, can open hidden abilities.
Fleece "Theft" - the need for spiritual development.
The rune "Rock" is the power of the divine, natural order.
Rune "Need - submission to personal law-order, use of knowledge for your own benefit.
Rune "Source" - the accumulation of inner power and strength.
Rune "Strength" - a change of fate, the unity of opposites. Rule becomes one whole when Jav and Nav are connected.
Rune "Support" - the unification of consciousness with the scattered parts of one's own "I" and the Universe, protects internal forces and emotions.
Fleece "Perun" - endless power, control, absolute male power.
The rune "Treba" is a sacrifice to the gods, designed to cleanse of everything superfluous - wealth, knowledge, talent, career.
Fleece "Bereginya" - protects Slavs, women in labor and young mothers from representatives of another world.
Rune "Wind" - divine pleasure in battle, death is a stage of battle.
Fleece "Belbog" - craving for the highest goal.
Rune "Lelya" - the birth of a new one, the power and strength of the tree of the Family.
Fleece "Alatyr" - absolute peace, making the only right decisions.

To use the power of the runes with benefit, you need to clearly understand their purpose. Knowledge of the symbolism and mythology of the Slavic peoples is necessary. Without such knowledge, attempts to create a talisman or amulet can only bring harm or, at best, fail. We must not forget that the Slavic Russians did not have good and evil gods - all the gods were versatile and, depending on the circumstances, could bring benefit or harm.

When fortune-telling, it is possible to interpret the runes only in combination. Alone, they cannot say anything even to an experienced user.

Currently, the ancient Slavic runes and their meaning are easy to study through the Internet - they are described on many sites. However, when choosing information for study, it is necessary to have basic knowledge about the life of the ancient Slavs, because there are a lot of conflicting information on the network that requires a critical attitude from the user.

It is interesting that the Slavs preserved this ancient language in a much purer form. So, the Russian word “bread” and the “stable” that comes from it belong to this language, but the Germans already in the 1st millennium A.D. lost them, replacing them with modern bread. A purely Scandinavian, seemingly, word jarl (noble military leader) comes from the ancient eagle - the battle name of the strongest in the squad; but now the eagle has survived only among the Slavs, while the Germans (the British, for example) use the word eagl.

There are many similar examples, and one of them - the etymology of the term rune - should be examined in more detail, since it is most directly related to the topic of this section.

The now traditional interpretation of the word rune has become established in the scientific community at the end of the last century. Quite rightly, the Germanic runa, rune, denoting the letter of the runic writing, is associated with the Gothic rыna - “secret” and other German. with the verb rыnen (modern German raunen) in the meaning of "whisper" 1. Nigel Pennik introduced some variety in the interpretation of the word rune, pointing out its non-North European parallels: Old Celtic. run, Wed-wall. rhin meaning "whisper", "whisper"; modern irl. run "secret"; Scottish Gaelic run "lot" 2. However, almost all modern researchers overlook the Slavic languages (by the way, much closer to Scandinavian than the same Celtic). This was not the case at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, during the heyday of research on the Slavic rune.

So, at one time I tried to connect the word rune with the Serb. gronic “to speak” Polish Slavic scholar A. Kuharsky. But V. Tsybulsky and I. Yagich were equally opposed to such an interpretation, finding it “extravagant”. But against the later assumption of D. Zhunkovich 3, not a single researcher could put forward any counter-arguments. Zhunkovich's version was simply forgotten, as it often happened in the field of Slavic runology ...

Let's digress a little. No later than the very beginning of the 10th century in Bulgaria, the Brave monk wrote lines that have survived to this day and cause so many contradictory, sometimes completely opposite in meaning, judgments: … ”We will not comment on the words of Brave here (there are enough commentators without us), but we just want to keep them in mind.

... At one time I happened to come to the same conclusion that was made by Zhunkovich, independently of this researcher. I was struck by the existence of many Slavic rivers bearing the mysterious name Runa 4. In most cases, the etymology of these names is considered unclear. But there is an old Slavic root of the runes: it is from it that Rus comes. wound, wound, dig, ukr. rylla - "furrow". According to Zhunkovich, the same root contains the verb ruti - "to cut" and the noun rune, meaning "cut", "furrow", ... CUT. Was it not these cuts of the Chiteku and Gataakhu the ancient Slavs?

The base run / ran with the meaning “cut”, “wound” was also known to the ancient Germans - and it is surprising why the researchers do not pay attention to this fact! Thus, the famous spearhead from Damsdorf, dating from the first half of the 1st millennium, bears the runic inscription RANJA, translated as "Piercing", "Wounding", "Wounding".

Probably, the term rune nevertheless comes from the oldest Slavic-Northern European base with the meaning “to cut” (which looks natural), while the appearance of European words of the same root, but already bearing the meaning of “secret”, “to speak in silence” is secondary , and is associated with the magical use of ancient carved signs. Ancient runes.

The first arguments in favor of the existence of the Slavic runic script were put forward at the beginning to the middle of the last century; some of the testimonies given then are now attributed to the Glagolitic alphabet, and not to the "Runica", some turned out to be simply untenable, but a number of arguments remain valid to this day. Thus, it is impossible to argue with the testimony of Titmar, who, describing the Slavic temple of Retra, points to the fact that inscriptions were made on the idols of the temple, made with “special”, non-Germanic runes. It would be completely absurd to assume that Titmar, being an educated person, might not recognize the standard minor Scandinavian runes if the names of the gods were inscribed on the idols. Massoudi, describing one of the Slavic temples, mentions some signs carved on stones. Ibn Fodlan, speaking about the Slavs of the end of the 1st millennium, indicates the existence of grave inscriptions on pillars among them. Ibn El Nedim talks about the existence of a Slavic pre-Cyrillic script and even cites in his treatise a drawing of an inscription carved on a piece of wood (the famous Nedimov inscription). In the Czech song “The Judgment of Lubusha”, preserved in the list of the 9th century, there is a mention of deski pravdodatne - laws written on wooden boards with certain letters.

The existence of the runic script 5 among the Slavs is also indicated by many archaeological data. The oldest of them are the finds of ceramics with fragments of inscriptions belonging to the Chernyakhov archaeological culture, uniquely associated with the Slavs and dating from the 1st-4th centuries A.D. Already thirty years ago, signs on these finds were identified as traces of writing. 6

An example of “Chernyakhov's” Slavic runic writing can be fragments of ceramics from excavations near the village of Lepesovka (southern Volyn) or a clay shard from Ripnev, belonging to the same Chernyakhov culture and probably representing a fragment of a vessel. The signs visible on the shard leave no doubt that this is an inscription. Unfortunately, the fragment is too small to decipher the inscription. In general, the ceramics of the Chernyakhov culture provide very interesting, but too scarce material for deciphering.

For example, a Slavic earthen vessel discovered in 1967 during excavations near the village of Voiskovoye (on the Dnieper) is extremely interesting. On its surface there is an inscription containing 12 positions and using 6 characters. The inscription defies translation or reading, despite the fact that attempts to decipher it have been made. So, at one time it was suggested that, judging by the number of positions, these signs can be the initial letters of the names of the months, and the inscription as a whole - a calendar. However, unfortunately, there is not a single Slavic language, neither ancient nor modern, in which the names of four months would begin with one letter, three with another, two with a third, and the remaining three months with three different letters.

In general, it does not matter whether this inscription is an inscription in the full sense of the word, or whether it is a certain meaningful set of signs. The reader may have already noted a certain similarity between the graphics of this inscription and the runic graphics. This is indeed the case. There are similarities, and not only similarities - half of the signs (three out of six) coincide with the Futhark runes. These are the runes Dagaz (Futhark, 24), Gebo (Futhark, 7) and a minor version of the Inguz rune (Futhark, 22) - a rhombus placed on top.

Another - more recent - group of evidence of the use of runic writing by the Slavs is formed by monuments associated with the Wends, the Baltic Slavs. Of these monuments, let us first of all point out the so-called Mikorzhinsky stones, discovered in 1771 in Poland. Another - truly unique - monument of the "Baltic" Slavic rune is the inscriptions on cult objects from the Slavic temple of Radegast in Retra 7 destroyed in the middle of the 11th century during the German conquest. It is worth dwelling on these objects in more detail.

After the destruction of the temple, its material values were considered lost or stolen for a long time, until some of them, after more than half a millennium, were born again. Bronze images of gods and ritual objects from the Retrinsky temple were found in the land of the village of Prilvits at the end of the 17th century; much later they were acquired by a certain Andreas Gottlieb Mash, described and ordered engravings. These materials were published by him in 1771 in Germany 8. His book contains engravings of more than six dozen sculptures and other objects.

In addition, in my opinion, a very convincing argument in favor of the authenticity of the objects from Retra is the fact that the original owner of the monuments was a Catholic priest. From the priest, we could much more likely expect the destruction of the monuments of the pagan religion (which he did in relation to some of the objects), but certainly not the production of statues of pagan gods with pagan letters ...

It is curious that such "nihilism" of Russian researchers in relation to the Slavic runic culture extends to monuments, the authenticity of which cannot be questioned at all. For example, a private collection of objects with runic inscriptions discovered during archaeological work in Belarus is currently kept in Moscow; this collection has never been published in academic publications, but thanks to the help of A.A. Bychkov, we have the opportunity to place here sketches of some of these monuments.

Probably, it makes no sense to continue here the list of such monuments, the number of which is quite large 9.

Like the runes of the Scandinavian and continental Germans, the Slavic runes go back, apparently, to the North Italian (Alpine) alphabets.

There are several main variants of Alpine writing, which, in addition to the northern Etruscans, were owned by the Slavic and Celtic tribes living in the neighborhood. The question of how exactly the Italian writing was brought to the later Slavic regions remains at the moment completely open, as well as the question of the mutual influence of the Slavic and Germanic runes.

Thus, speaking about the Old Slavic runic writing, one cannot but touch upon the question of the existence of the Old Slavic runic culture as a whole. This culture was owned by the Slavs of pagan times; it survived, apparently, in the era of "dual faith" (the simultaneous existence in Russia of Christianity and paganism - X-XVI centuries).

An excellent example of this is the widespread use of the Freyr-Inguz rune by the Slavs, which we described in Chapter Three.

Another example is one of the wonderful vyatka temporal rings of the 12th century. Signs are engraved on its blades - this is another rune. The third blades from the edges bear the image of the Algiz rune, and the central blade is a double image of the same rune.

Like the Freyr rune, the Algiz rune first appeared as part of Futhark; it existed unchanged for about a millennium and entered all runic alphabets, except for the late Swedish-Norwegian ones, which were not used for magical purposes (about the 10th century). The image of this rune on the temporal ring is not accidental. The rune Algiz is a rune of protection, one of its magical properties is protection from other people's witchcraft and the evil will of others.

The use of the Algiz rune by the Slavs and their ancestors has a very ancient history. In ancient times, the four Algiz runes were often connected in such a way that a twelve-pointed cross was formed, which apparently has the same functions as the rune itself. At the same time, it should be noted that such magic symbols can appear among different peoples and independently of each other (as it was described in the 6th section of the second chapter). An example of this is, for example, a bronze Mordovian plaque from the end of the 1st millennium A.D. from the Armievsky burial ground.

One of the so-called non-alphabetic runic signs is the swastika, both four- and three-branched. Images of the swastika in the Slavic world are found everywhere, although not often. This is natural - the swastika, a symbol of fire and, in certain cases, fertility - a sign too “powerful” and too significant for widespread use. Like the twelve-pointed cross, the swastika can be found among the Sarmatians and Scythians.

Of extreme interest is the one-of-a-kind temporal ring, again the vyacic ring. Several different signs are engraved on its blades at once - this is a whole collection of symbols of ancient Slavic magic. The central blade bears a slightly modified Inguz rune, the first petals from the center are an image that is not yet completely clear. On the petals second from the center, there is a twelve-pointed cross, which is most likely a modification of the cross of four Algiz runes. And finally, the outer petals bear the image of the swastika. Well, the jeweler who worked on this ring created a powerful talisman.

The description of this unique temporal ring completes our small review of the monuments of runic art of the ancient Slavs. If you look more broadly and talk about Slavic material monuments of ancient arts in general, including, in particular, applied magic, then it should be noted that the amount of material here is enormous. The greatest merit in the study and systematization of this material belongs to the outstanding Russian historian and archaeologist, academician B.A. Rybakov. His monographs “The Paganism of the Ancient Slavs” (Moscow, 1981) and “The Paganism of Ancient Rus” (Moscow, 1987) are undoubtedly the most detailed fundamental studies of this issue at the moment.

A.V. Platov.

Notes (edit)

1. I.V. Yagich The question of runes among the Slavs / / Encyclopedia of Slavic Philology. Published by the Department of Russian Language and Literature. Imp. Acad. Science. Issue 3: Graphics among the Slavs. SPb., 1911.
2. N. Pennick. Rune Magic. L., 1992; The Secret Lore of Runes and Other Ancient Alphabets. L., 1991.
3. D. Zunkovic. Die slavische Vorzeit. Maribor, 1918.
4. As an example I will cite the river Runu, which flows into the Upper Volga lakes on the border of the Tver and Novgorod regions.
5. The author asks to take into account the definition of runic art and runic signs given by him in the first section of this chapter.
6. See, for example: M.A. Tikhanova. Traces of runic writing in the Chernyakhov culture. In the book: Medieval Russia. M., 1976.
7. A. V. Platov. Cult images from the temple in Retra / / Myths and magic of the Indo-Europeans, issue 2, 1996.
8. A. G. Masch. Die Gottesdienstlichen Alferfhnmer der Obotriten, aus dem Tempel zu Rhetra. Berlin, 1771.
9. For more details see: A.V. Platov. Monuments of the runic art of the Slavs / / Myths and magic of the Indo-Europeans, issue 6, 1997.

A spearhead found in the vicinity of Brest, which scientists attributed to the 3rd century AD, is inlaid with solar signs and the inscription "Tilariths" - which means "Attacker". The inscription clearly denotes the name of the weapon.
What awaits you in the near future:

Find out what awaits you in the near future with the help of runes.

Slavic runes and alphabet

The ancient Slavs are an extremely educated people. They had their own alphabet and well-developed writing system at their disposal. The basis of the alphabet was made up of runes - complex signs that have several meanings. The "ABC" of Cyril and Mifodiy, which appeared later, is only a part of the ancient heritage left by the Slavic civilization.

Slavic runes were used not only to compose texts, but also to carry out all kinds of rituals. In addition, they served as the main elements in the creation of amulets and protective prayers. At the time of its existence, the runic alphabet was the most perfect type of writing. One symbol could mean a single letter, word or action. Archaeologists have established that the Slavs had exactly 144 signs.

Nobody knows the exact number of runes: historians believe that there were several million of them. And those 18 runes that we use today are a drop in the ocean and echoes of the once developed runic alphabet.

How to write with Slavic runes?

A well thought out system is used when writing texts. All characters are arranged in a row, and each row must have 16 separate characters. The number of rows is nine. It is also allowed to write 32 and 64-digit rows. In this case, the written symbols will complement the basic 16 runes written earlier. Roughly speaking, every second rune will interpret, complement or develop the meaning of the previous symbol.

Reading characters

The process of reading Slavic runes has its own characteristics: without a correct understanding of the inscribed symbols, it is impossible to understand their meaning. As we already said, a single rune can mean a letter, a word or a whole image. Initially, the lines are read in accordance with the rules of the Russian language - from left to right. After that, the runes are read in the opposite direction - from right to left, and the reading begins with the last one, 9 runes per line.

The interpretation of what is written is carried out both in the form of individual letters and images. But this requires significant experience and knowledge of ancient Slavic culture.

Character translation

It is analogous to the modern letter M

Meaning: outside help, a detailed understanding of what is happening, a request for benefits from higher powers. It symbolizes good, and therefore is not used for rituals with a negative meaning.

The analogue in the alphabet is CH and C at the same time

Meaning: symbolizes evil in all its manifestations, encourages to break the shackles, change the established principles and forget past grievances. It is also a symbol of duality and evil deeds committed in the name of a great goal.

Analogous to A - the first letter of the alphabet

Symbolizes the beginning and the point on which our universe rests. The rune hides the beginning and the end, a multi-ton weight and a light fluff, a microscopic element and a huge space. It is a sign of cyclicality and endless roads open to exploration.

Analogue in the modern alphabet - letter P

Meaning - a short path that connects the Earth and Heaven. This law is interpreted as a journey and the fulfillment of our plans. It is a reward for work done and satisfaction with communication.

Corresponds to the modern letter H

Meaning: symbolizes the cleansing fire that descends on evil people. Interpretation of positive meanings: awareness of one's own shortcomings, humility of pride and the destruction of empty desires. Interpretation of negative meanings: compulsion to action, suppression of will, hard fate.

Corresponds to modern letters G and K

Meaning: a cleansing fire that opens the way to prosperity and new achievements, the desire for new knowledge, the opportunity to choose, getting rid of the shackles.

Corresponds to the modern letter T

Translation of the Slavic rune: a symbol of a warrior who strives for his Altar. It is a symbol of strict rules, exaggerated demands and sacrifice in the name of a great goal. It also symbolizes a game in which the established order cannot be violated. Victory lies in observance of common truths and fair fight.

Corresponds to the letter C of the Slavic alphabet

Meaning and translation: symbolizes the force that affects a person or circumstance. It is also a symbol of the efforts made to change the situation.

Corresponds to the letter B

Meaning and translation: volatility, problems, destruction, power and strength. This is the embodiment of the main element - the wind, which can sweep away everything in its path. If you curb this force, then a person can move in the right direction. For a more accurate meaning, it is necessary to compare this rune with neighboring signs.

Meaning: interaction with the earthly firmament and water surface, material wealth, family well-being, the completion of the black stripe, the patronage of the gods. It is often used to enhance feminine enchantments, knowledge of wisdom and increase soil fertility.

In the Slavic alphabet corresponds to U

Primary meaning: symbolizes feminine beauty and masculine strength. It is the energy that can connect loving hearts and give birth to new life. It is a symbol of carnal love, fertility and transformation.

In appearance it resembles a modern L

The meaning of the Slavic rune: it is a symbol of youth, female beauty, awakening from winter sleep. It hides the concept of family well-being, the joy of motherhood, intuition and the power of female charms.

Similar in spelling to the letter X

Translation of the Slavic rune: fate, human karma, the inevitability of events, a predetermined path. It is also a symbol of hope. A more accurate definition is possible if there are other runes.

Similar to O

Meaning: help from higher powers, circle or zone of influence, firmness of character, intentions and chosen position. In magical rites, it is used to influence a specific object or person.

Complies with D

Meaning: symbolizes the powerful Slavic god DazhdBog. He is the personification of warmth, care, help and assistance. This is a wise old man, around whom young men gather, adopting knowledge. Dazhdbog passes on to descendants a heritage that must be preserved and increased. It is also a symbol of material wealth, satisfaction with work, efficiency.

Corresponds to the modern letter P

The meaning and translation of the Slavic rune: a symbol of justice. You can use this sign only if the person is confident in their actions and the chosen position. It is also a symbol of the defender who defends his home.

Corresponds to the letter E

Meaning and translation: regularity of life, immutability of the laws of being, renewal, growth and development. It embodies the life juices flowing through the branches of all terrestrial vegetation. It is the energy of the sun converted into nutrients.

Corresponds to the letter I from the modern alphabet

Meaning and free translation: ice, the strength of cold winds, the basis of all that exists, development.

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Folk art

How the Slavic runes were found

The study of the Slavic temple of Retra indicates the fact that inscriptions were made on the idols of the temple, made by “special”, not Germanic runes. It would be completely absurd to assume that Titmar, being an educated person, might not recognize the standard minor Scandinavian runes if the names of the gods on idols were inscribed by them.

In the Czech song “The Judgment of Lubusha”, preserved in the list of the 9th century, there is a mention of deski pravdodatne - laws written on wooden boards with certain letters.

The existence of runic writing among the Slavs is also indicated by many archaeological data. The oldest of them are the finds of ceramics with fragments of inscriptions belonging to the Chernyakhovsk archaeological culture, uniquely associated with the Slavs and dating from the 1st-4th centuries A.D. Already thirty years ago, signs on these finds were identified as traces of writing.

An example of "Chernyakhovsky" Slavic runic writing can serve as fragments of ceramics from excavations near the village. Lepesovka (southern Volhynia) or a clay shard from Ripnev, belonging to the same Chernyakhov culture and probably representing a fragment of a vessel. The signs visible on the shard leave no doubt that this is an inscription. Unfortunately, the fragment is too small to decipher the inscription. In general, the ceramics of the Chernyakhov culture provide very interesting, but too scarce material for deciphering.

For example, the Slavic clay vessel, discovered in 1967 during excavations near the village of Voiskovoye (on the Dnieper), is extremely interesting. On its surface there is an inscription containing 12 positions and using 6 characters. The inscription defies translation or reading, despite the fact that attempts to decipher it have been made. So, at one time it was suggested that, judging by the number of positions, these signs can be the initial letters of the names of the months, and the inscription as a whole - a calendar. However, unfortunately, there is not a single Slavic language, neither ancient nor modern, in which the names of four months would begin with one letter, three with another, two with a third, and the remaining three months with three different letters.

Another - more recent - group of evidence of the use of runic writing by the Slavs is formed by monuments associated with the Wends, the Baltic Slavs. Of these monuments, let us first of all point out the so-called Mikorzynski stones, discovered in 1771 in Poland. Another - truly unique - monument to the "Baltic" Slavic rune is the inscriptions on cult objects from the Radegast Slavic Temple in Retra destroyed in the middle of the 11th century during the German conquest. It is worth dwelling on these subjects in a little more detail.

Titmar of Merseburg (976-1018), describing the West Slavic fortress-temple Retra (Radigosch, Radogost, Radegast) on the island of Rügen, writes that the name of the deity was carved on each of the idols in the sanctuary:

“There is a certain city in the Redarians' district called Ridegost, triangular and having three gates ... In the city there is nothing but a sanctuary skillfully constructed of wood, the base of which is the horns of various animals. Outside, as you can see, the walls are decorated with skillfully carved images of various gods and goddesses. Inside, there are hand-made idols, each with a carved name, dressed in helmets and armor, which gives them a terrible look. "

After the destruction of the temple, its material values were considered lost or stolen for a long time, until some of them, after more than half a millennium, were born again. Bronze images of gods and ritual objects from the Retrinsky temple were found in the land of the village of Prilvits at the end of the 17th century; much later they were acquired by a certain Andreas Gottlieb Mash, described and ordered engravings. These materials were published by him in 1771 in Germany. His book contains engravings of over six dozen sculptures and other objects.

In Russia, most researchers consider these objects to be fakes, while Western runologists prefer to follow the verdict of a special commission, which studied this issue for two years and decided that the objects are genuine. In addition, in our opinion, a very convincing argument in favor of the authenticity of objects from Retra is the fact that the original owner of the monuments was a Catholic priest. From the priest, we could much more likely expect the destruction of the monuments of the pagan religion (which he did in relation to some of the objects), but certainly not the production of statues of pagan gods with pagan letters ...

The Slavic to “Cyrillic” writing was christened “Chery and Rezy” in science. Until the end, the official science did not accept this type of writing due to many factors. A different style of seemingly similar runes in different inscriptions, there is no clear deciphering scheme, confuses scientists, and the fact that some of the monuments may have been falsified.

In this work, I will try to systematize all the experience gained on this issue.

Chernorizets the Brave writes about the existence of some signs for writing and fortune-telling (“lines and cuts”) among the pagan Slavs in his “story about the creation of Slavic writing” - literally “... ", Which, in fact, corresponds to the general definition of runes. He, as well as a number of other authors 10-11 centuries. - Ibn Fadlan, Ibn-El-Nedim, Titmar Mezerburskiy and others mention some "writing" used by the Slavs.

Ibn Fadlan, the Arab ambassador to the Volga Bulgaria in 922, tells about the manners and customs of the Rus who arrived in Bulgaria on business. After the ritual burning of the deceased, tribesman, the Rus left an inscription on the grave:

"Then they built on the site of this ship, which they pulled out of the river, something like a round hill and put up in the middle of it a large piece of hadang (white poplar or birch), wrote on it the name of the [deceased] husband and the name of the king of the Rus, and left."

We gave an example with a bowl above (unfortunately, one source says that it says "spice", the second says "mustard").

There are also indirect references to the existence of a written language among the Slavs, so the Arab writer Ibn al-Nadim in the "Book of the list of news about scientists and the names of the books written by them" (987-988) reports:

“Russian letters. I was told by one, on whose truthfulness I rely, that one of the kings of the Kabk [Caucasus] mountain sent him to the Tsar of the Rus; he claimed that they have letters carved into the wood. He showed me a piece of white wood, on which there were images, I don’t know if they were words, or individual letters, like that. ”

An inscription preserved by Ibn al-Nadim, stylized as an Arabic script. It is so distorted that it has not yet been deciphered. It is assumed that the white writing tree was simply birch bark. The "Russian" runic inscription, casually sketched by Ibn al-Nadim, outwardly resembles a Scandinavian runic monogram. Similar monograms were depicted, for example, on the rings of Scandinavian soldiers who served in Kievan Rus. Supporters of the existence of Slavic runes decipher the inscription, but each in its own way, in accordance with its own theory.

Serves as a proof of runic writing and the example given in the preface to the book.

The creator of the Slavic alphabet - Cyril, long before he created this alphabet, while passing through the Crimea, in Korsun (Chersonesos), saw in one Russian the Gospel and the Psalter, written in Russian letters: “Get the same Gospel and Psalter in Russian letters, and a person will acquire a verb by that conversation "and conversations with him and the power of speech, accept, in his conversation, the butt has different letters, vowel and consonant, and making a prayer to God, soon begin to honor and say, and many divlyahu ...", - says in “ Pannonian life ”(Cyril).

Archaeologists have provided us with a lot of material for thought. Particularly curious are the coins and some inscriptions found in the archaeological layer? which dates back to the reign of Prince Vladimir.

During excavations in Novgorod, wooden cylinders were found dating back to the years of the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the future Baptist of Russia, in Novgorod (970-980). The inscriptions of the economic maintenance on the cylinders are made in Cyrillic, and the prince's sign is cut in the form of a simple trident, which cannot be recognized as a ligature, but only a totemic sign of property, which changed from a simple two-prong on the seal of Prince Svyatoslav, Father Vladimir, and retained the shape of a trident for a number of subsequent princes. The princely sign acquired the appearance of a ligature on silver coins, coins issued according to the Byzantine model by Prince Vladimir after the baptism of Rus, that is, there was a complication of the initially simple symbol, which, as a generic sign of the Rurikids, could well have come from the Scandinavian rune. The same princely Vladimir's trident is found on the bricks of the Tithe Church in Kiev, but its outline differs markedly from the image on the coins, from which it is clear that the fancy curls do not carry any other meaning? than just an ornament.

An attempt to discover and even reproduce the pre-Cyril alphabet was undertaken by the scientist N.V. Engovatov in the early 60s based on the study of mysterious signs found in Cyril inscriptions on coins of Russian princes of the 11th century. These inscriptions are usually built according to the scheme “Vladimir is on the table (the throne - GG) and all his silver” with only a change in the name of the prince. Many coins have dashes and dots instead of missing letters.

Some researchers explained the appearance of these lines and dots by the illiteracy of Russian engravers of the 11th century. However, the repetition of the same signs on the coins of different princes, and often with the same sound meaning, made such an explanation insufficiently convincing, and Engovatov, using the same type of inscriptions and the repetition of mysterious signs in them, compiled a table indicating their supposed sound meaning; this meaning was determined by the place of the sign in the word written in Cyril letters.

Engovatov's work was talked about on the pages of the scientific and mass press. However, the opponents were not long in coming. “The mysterious signs on Russian coins,” they said, “are either the result of the mutual influence of the Cyril and Glagolic traces, or the result of the engravers' mistakes. They explained the repetition of the same signs on different coins, firstly, by the fact that the same stamp was used for minting many coins; secondly, by the fact that “insufficiently competent engravers repeated the mistakes that were in the old stamps”.

Novgorod is rich in finds, where archaeologists often dig up birch bark plaques with inscriptions.

The main, and at the same time the most controversial, are artistic monuments, so there is no consensus on the "Veles book".

Let's try to understand the fate of this book.

"Vlesova book" is the name given to texts written on 35 birch tablets and reflecting the history of Russia over one and a half millennia, starting from about 650 "BC. NS. Colonel Isenbek found her in 1919 in the estate of the princes Kurakin near Orel. Planks, badly destroyed by time and worms, lay in disarray on the floor of the library. Many were crushed by the soldiers' boots. Isenbek, who was interested in archeology, collected the tablets and never parted with them. After the end of the civil war, the "boards" ended up in Brussels. The writer Y. Mirolyubiv, who learned about them, discovered that the text of the chronicle was written in a completely unknown ancient Slavic language. It took 15 years to rewrite and transcribe. Later, foreign specialists took part in the work - orientalist A. Kur from the USA and S. Lesnoy (Paramonov), who lived in Australia. The latter gave the tablets the name "Vlesova's book", since in the text itself the work is called a book, and Veles is mentioned in some connection with it. But Lesnoy and Kur worked only with the texts that Mirolyubov managed to write off, since after the death of Isenbek in 1943 the tablets disappeared.

Some scholars consider "Vlesov's book" a fake, while such well-known experts in ancient Russian history as A. Artsikhovsky consider it quite probable that "Vlesov's book" reflects a genuine pagan; the past of the Slavs. The well-known expert on Old Russian literature D. Zhukov wrote in the April 1979 issue of the Novy Mir magazine: “The authenticity of Vlesrvoy Kniga is questioned, and this all the more requires its publication in our country and a thorough, comprehensive analysis”.

Y. Mirolyubrv and S. Lesnoy basically managed to decipher the text of the "Vlesovaya Kniga";

Mirolyubov, finished reading the text of Vlesova Kniga. Having published the full text of the book, he writes articles: “Vlesov's book” - a chronicle of the pagan priests of the 9th century, a new, unexplored historical source ”and“ Were the ancient “russians” idolaters and did they bring human sacrifices, which he sends to the Slavic Committee USSR, calling on Soviet specialists to recognize the importance of studying the Isenbeck tablets. The package also contained the only surviving photograph of one of these tablets. The "decrypted" text of the tablet and the translation of this text were attached to it.

The “decrypted” text read as follows:

1. Vles a book sy p (o) tshemo b (o) gu n (a) shemo u kie bo natural priest-zitsa power. 2. Ony vr (e) changes bya menzh yaki by bl (a) g a d (o) bl izhen b (y) k (o) ct in r (y) si. 3. And then<и)мщ жену и два дщере имаста он а ск(о)ти а краве и мн(о)га овны с. 4. она и бя той восы упех а 0(н)ищ(е) не имщ менж про дщ(е)р(е) сва так(о)моля. 5. Б(о)зи абы р(о)д егосе не пр(е)сеше а д(а)ж бо(г) услыша м(о)лбу ту а по м(о)лбе. 6. Даящ (е)му измлены ако бя ожещаы тая се бо гренде мезе ны.,.

The first person in our country 28 years ago to conduct a scientific study of the text of the tablet was L.P. Zhukovskaya is a linguist, paleographer and archeographer, now the chief researcher at the Institute of Russian Language of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Philology, author of many books. After a careful study of the text, she came to the conclusion that the "Vlesov book" is a forgery due to the inconsistency of the language of this "book" with the norms of the Old Russian language. Indeed, the “Old Russian” text of the tablet does not stand up to any criticism. There were enough examples of the noted discrepancy, but I will limit myself to just one. So, the name of the pagan deity Veles, which gave the name to the named work, should look exactly like this in writing, since the peculiarity of the language of the ancient Eastern Slavs is that the combinations of the sounds "O" and "E" before R and L in the position between the consonants were successively replaced for ORO, OLO, ERE. Therefore, we have primordially our own words - CITY, COAST, MILK, but at the same time, the words BREG, CHAPTER, MILK, etc., which entered after the adoption of Christianity (year 988) were preserved. And the correct name would not be “Vlesova”, but “Velesova Kniga”.

L.P. Zhukovskaya suggested that the tablet with the text is, most likely, one of the forgeries of A.I.Sulukadzev, who bought old manuscripts from rags at the beginning of the 19th century. There is evidence that he had some beech planks that disappeared from the field of view of the researchers. There is an indication about them in his catalog: "Patriarsi on 45 beech boards of Yagip Gan smerd in Ladoga IX century." Sulakadzev, who was famous for his falsifications, was said to have used in his forgeries “the wrong language due to ignorance of the correct one, sometimes very wild”.

And nevertheless, the participants of the Fifth International Congress of Slavists, held in 1963 in Sofia, became interested in the “Vlesova Kniga”. In the reports of the congress, a special article was devoted to her, which caused a lively and sharp reaction in the circles of history lovers and a new series of articles in the mass press.

In 1970, the poet I. Kobzev wrote about the Vlesovaya Kniga as an outstanding monument of writing in the journal “Russian speech” (No. 3); in 1976, on the pages of “Week” (No. 18), journalists V. Skurlatov and N. Nikolaev made a detailed popularizing article; in No. 33 for the same year, they were joined by V. Starostin. Articles by D. Zhukov, the author of a story about the famous collector of Old Russian literature V. Malyshev, were published in Novy Mir and Ogonyok. All these authors stood up for the recognition of the authenticity of the "Vlesova Kniga" and presented their arguments in favor of this.

One of these arguments (the main ones) was the assumption that the “book” was written in one of the “territorial dialects” of the Old Russian language, unknown to us, and also subject to Western Slavic influence, as evidenced by such forms as “menzh”, “grende”. It was even suggested that several authors participated in the writing of the tablets, "judging by the style of presentation," and one of them, apparently, was a great Pole.

We cannot agree with this. The point, apparently, is different. If we assume that “Vles's Book” is not a fake, there remains one and, it seems, the only assumption that the signs of the tablets were voiced incorrectly, which ultimately led to such a deplorable result.

Is it possible to assume that "Vlesov's book" is not a fake? More precisely, not “Vlesov's book”, but that single tablet, the photograph of which is only at our disposal (we cannot judge the rest of the tablets - either they were, or they were not there). I admit. And on what basis.

“The text shown in the photograph is written in an alphabet close to the Cyrillic alphabet,” L.P. Zhukovskaya. The text consists of 10 lines. Each line contains 41 to 50 characters. The total volume of the text is 465 characters, with 45-47 different characters in it (Cyrillic, according to the manuscripts that have come down to us, had 43 letters, the Glagolitic alphabet, according to the monuments of the same time, had 40 letters). But, nevertheless, among this “overestimated” number of characters for letter writing, there was no place for the characters denoting the sound Ы and ultra-short vowels, for which the Cyrillic alphabet has its own designations - b and b.

Gennady Grinevich did a little research. I took several excerpts from "The Lay of Igor's Campaign", corresponding to the volume of the text of the tablet, and counted how many times L, B "and L signs were found in them. It turned out that L occurs on average 5 times, b sign - 7 times, and b sign - 30 times.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, the sign was used, one might say, out of place and out of place. Everyone, probably, saw old signs, on which even the names of the owners of some establishments ended with a Kommersant sign: BAGROV, FILIPOV, SMIRNOV, etc. probably would have introduced at least a b sign into it.

In a syllabic letter of the type "lines and cuts" there were not and could not have been separate signs for sounds, which in our alphabet we designate with signs (letters) Ы, b and b, and this circumstance, albeit indirectly, indicates the connection between the letter “Vlesova books ”with syllabic writing such as“ lines and cuts ”. In addition, the overwhelming number of signs of the "Vlesovaya Book" are graphically absolutely identical to the signs of the latter. From what has been said, we can conclude that, apparently, the letter of the "Vlesova Kniga" is a transitional form of writing from syllabic to literal, in which, along with signs that convey single sounds, there could be signs that convey whole syllables, as well as signs, sound which is different in different positions.

In her first article, published in the journal “Voprosy linguistics” (No. 2 for 1960), L.P. Zhukovskaya, analyzing the text of the “tablets”, wrote: “For antiquity (tablets. - G. G.) says the so-called“ "hanging" letter, in which the letters seem to be suspended from the line of the line, and not placed on it. For the Cyrillic alphabet, this feature is nonspecific, it rather leads to the eastern (Indian) patterns. In the text, the signal line is comparatively well maintained, which runs for all signs in the middle of their height, which is evidence in favor of the greatest possibility of the pre-Cyrillic monument antiquity ”.

In 1982, in the book "Secrets of the Ages" Olga Skurlatova gave an archaeological and historical information on the Veles book. The strongest point of research is the following fact: “The Vlesovaya Book” describes in detail how part of our ancestors from Semirechye went through the mountains to the south (apparently to India), and the other part went west “to the Carpathian Mountain.” If If the events described in the “Vlesova book” were falsifications, how could a forger predict this amazing and unexpected fact of the history of ancient pastoralists, confirmed archaeologically quite recently, after the publication of “Vlesovaya kniga”? "

No convincing arguments for or against were presented. At this historical period, the question remains open.

One can only assert that the pre-Christian writing "devil and cut" was still in Russia. To what extent it was a developed and logical system, we cannot judge. Many scientists tried to decipher and provide a logical structure: G. Chudinov, V. Chudinov. But their theories are still not accepted by science. The retelling of these theories does not fit the logic of this book.

It should be noted that the runic culture should be understood much broader than the elementary writing skills - it is a whole cultural layer, covering both mythology and religion, and certain aspects of magical art. Already in Etruria and Venice (the lands of the Etruscans and Wends), the alphabet was treated as an object of divine origin and capable of exerting a magical effect. This is evidenced, for example, by the finds in Etruscan burials of tablets listing alphabetic characters. This is the simplest type of runic magic, widespread in the north-west of Europe.
Thus, speaking about the Old Slavic runic writing, one cannot but touch upon the question of the existence of the Old Slavic runic culture as a whole. Many types of runic writing have survived. Hence the problem of decoding the inscriptions. There is no single scheme for drawing the runes. This is due to the different geographical location of the Slavic tribes. One of the most common. Let us dwell on the consideration of Slavyanitsa. We will not talk about the authenticity of this runic scheme. We will simply analyze it and present it to your attention.

We have chosen this version of the runic (called "Velesovitsa") with the sole purpose that it most fully conveys the culturological information about the ancient Slavs.

In this Slavic small futark (the word is borrowed from the Scandinavian runic writing, and it was formed on the principle of the first two, three characters of the alphabetic systems Fa-Ur-THOR, like Alpha-Vita - Alphabet and Az-Buki - ABC), which bears the name Slavyanitsa, 18 runes carrying a huge amount of information embedded in the figurative meaning of each rune. Naturally, each rune denoted a letter when writing, but besides this nominative function, rune writing carried the following semantic functions: designation of the Slavic gods (Lelya, Dazhbog), spatial landmarks (Alatyr, Istok), rituals and actions (Krada, Treba). The specific compatibility of the runes (inscribed next to each other) meant a kind of figurative semantics, for example: Mir and Dazhbog (grandchildren of Dazhbog), Rock and Rainbow (your life path or your destiny).
© 2008 Sviridov Stanislav Alexandrovich. All rights reserved.

A. Dugin "On the question of Slavic runes"

If we accept the point of view of Wirth (a German scientist) that the northern peoples of Eurasia, who lived in close proximity to the original Arctic ancestral home - Hyperborea, preserved protorunic systems longer than others, although their full value, cult use and alphabetic-calendar interpretation were distorted and forgotten. Therefore, the rune is found among them in a fragmentary form, as a legacy of ancient knowledge, the key to which has been irretrievably lost. But nevertheless, starting from the 5th century, this late rune appears synchronously in the north of Eurasia. Wirth especially closely studied the German-Scandinavian regions. But he also pointed out the exact correspondence to the runic signs (though agreed upon in a completely different way) of the Orkhon inscriptions of the ancient Turks. Moreover, the Turkic rune appeared almost synchronously with the German, while it is difficult to assume a direct borrowing. From the point of view of simple geographic symmetry, it is striking that between the area of settlement of the German-Scandinavian tribes and the Turks of Siberia were located just the ancient Slavs, mixed with the Ugric tribes. And about these Slavs, the monk Brave wrote that they "write with lines and cuts." Late runic writing is characterized precisely by the fact that it was carved on wood or stones, while, according to Wirth, the signs of the original protorunica were rounded. Thus, it is likely that the "lines and cuts" were the symbolic system of the "Slavic rune", which is, as it were, an intermediate layer between the Germanic and Turkic systems. Brave's indication that the ancient Slavs "read" by the cuts indicates that the Slavs used their runes in the same way as the Germans — they served them both as the alphabet and the method of sacred rituals (in their lowest form - predictions).

It is striking how similar the signs of "Boyan's Hymn" and "Veles's Book" and Germanic runes are. Although it cannot be ruled out that, through his Masonic channels, Sulakadzev, to whom all the threads of the story with the "Veles Book" converge, could have been aware of the "Chronicle of Ur-Linda", also stylized as runic writing. In this case (which cannot be completely excluded) the value of his documents is lost. At the same time, it is possible that, as in the case of "Ura-Linda", we are talking about the later revision of some really ancient document. It is only important to approach this issue objectively and impartially, without falling into premature enthusiasm, but also without deliberate prejudices.

Whether the fragments of the Sulakadze collection are genuine or not, the Slavs should have had runic-type systems, fragments of which we unmistakably meet in traditional Slavic embroidery, mythological subjects, ornaments, rituals and beliefs.

Anton Platov "Slavic runes"

1. World
The form of the World rune is the image of the World Tree, the Universe. It also symbolizes the inner I of a person, centripetal forces that strive the World to Order. In a magical sense, the Mir rune represents protection, the patronage of the gods.

2. Chernobog
In contrast to the Mir rune, the Chernobog rune represents the forces that strive the world towards Chaos. The magical content of the rune: the destruction of old ties, a breakthrough of the magic circle, an exit from any closed system.

3. Alatyr
The rune Alatyr is the rune of the center of the Universe, the rune of the beginning and end of all that exists. This is what the struggle of the forces of Order and Chaos revolves around; the stone that lies at the base of the World; it is the law of balance and reversion. The eternal circulation of events and their immobile center. The magic altar on which the sacrifice is performed is the reflection of the Alatyr stone. This is the sacred image that is contained in this rune.

4. Rainbow
The rune of the road, the endless path to Alatyr; a path determined by the unity and struggle of the forces of Order and Chaos, Water and Fire. The road is more than just movement in space and time. The road is a special state, which is equally different from vanity and rest; the state of movement between Order and Chaos. The Road has no beginning or end, but there is a source and there is a result ... The ancient formula: "Do what you want, and come what may" could serve as the motto of this rune. The magical meaning of the rune: stabilization of movement, travel assistance, a favorable outcome of difficult situations.

5. Need
Runa Viy - the god Navi, the Lower World. This is the rune of fate, which cannot be avoided, darkness, death. The rune of constraint, constraint and coercion. This is a magical prohibition on the performance of this or that action, and constraint in the material plane, and those bonds that fetter a person's consciousness.

6. Stealing
The Slavic word "Krada" means sacrificial fire. This is the rune of Fire, the rune of aspiration and the embodiment of aspirations. But the embodiment of any plan is always the disclosure of this plan to the World, and therefore the rune of the Krada is also the rune of disclosure, the rune of the loss of the external, superficial - that which burns up in the fire of sacrifice. The magical meaning of the Krad rune is purification; release of intention; implementation and implementation.

7. Treba
Rune of the Warrior of the Spirit. The meaning of the Slavic word "Treba" is a sacrifice, without which the embodiment of intention is impossible on the Road. This is the sacred content of this rune. But sacrifice is not a simple gift to the gods; the idea of sacrifice implies the sacrifice of oneself.

8. Strength
Strength is the property of the Warrior. It is not only the ability to change the World and oneself in it, but also the ability to follow the Road, freedom from the shackles of consciousness. The Rune of Power is at the same time the rune of unity, integrity, the achievement of which is one of the results of movement along the Road. And it is also the rune of Victory, for the Warrior of the Spirit gains Power only by defeating himself, only by sacrificing himself external for the sake of freeing himself internal. The magical meaning of this rune is directly related to its definitions as the runes of victory, the runes of power and the runes of integrity. The Rune of Power can impel a person or a situation to Victory and gain integrity, can help clarify an unclear situation and push to the right decision.

9. Wind
This is the rune of the Spirit, the rune of Knowledge and ascent to the top; rune of will and inspiration; the image of a spiritualized magical Power associated with the element of air. At the level of magic, the Wind rune symbolizes the Force-Wind, inspiration, creative impulse.

10. Bereginya
Bereginya in the Slavic tradition is a female image associated with protection and motherhood. Therefore, the rune Beregini is the rune of the Mother Goddess, who knows both earthly fertility and the fate of all living things. The Mother Goddess gives life to souls who come to incarnate on Earth, and she takes life when the time comes. Therefore, the rune of Beregini can be called both the rune of Life and the rune of Death. This rune is the rune of Fate.

11. Oud
In all branches of the Indo-European tradition, without exception, the symbol of the male member (the Slavic word "Ud") is associated with a fertile creative force that transforms Chaos. This fiery power was called by the Greeks Eros, and by the Slavs - Yar. This is not only the power of love, but also the passion for life in general, the power that unites opposites, fertilizing the emptiness of Chaos.

12. Lelya
The rune is associated with the element of water, and specifically - Living, flowing water in springs and streams. In magic, the rune Lelya is the rune of intuition, Knowledge outside Mind, as well as - spring awakening and fertility, flowering and joy.

13. Rock
This is the rune of the transcendental unmanifest Spirit, which is the beginning and end of everything. In magic, the Doom rune can be used to dedicate an object or situation to the Unknowable.

14. Support
This is the rune of the foundations of the Universe, the rune of the gods. The support is the shaman's pole, or tree, along which the shaman travels to heaven.

15. Dazhdbog
The rune of Dazhdbog symbolizes the Good in every sense of the word: from material wealth to joy, accompanying love. The most important attribute of this god is a cornucopia, or, in a more ancient form, a cauldron of inexhaustible benefits. The flow of gifts flowing in an inexhaustible river is represented by the rune of Dazhdbog. The rune means the gifts of the gods, the acquisition, receipt or addition of something, the emergence of new connections or acquaintances, well-being in general, and also the successful completion of any business.

16. Perun
The rune of Perun is a thunder god who protects the worlds of gods and people from the onset of the forces of Chaos. Symbolizes power and vitality. The rune can mean the appearance of powerful, but heavy, forces that can move the situation off the ground or give it additional development energy. It also symbolizes personal power, but, in some negative situations, power that is not burdened with wisdom. This is the direct protection given by the gods from the forces of Chaos, from the destructive effects of psychic, material or any other destructive forces.

17. Yes
Rune of Life, mobility and natural variability of Being, for immobility is dead. The rune Is symbolizes renewal, movement, growth, Life itself. This rune represents those divine forces that make the grass grow, the juices of the earth flow through the trunks of trees, and the blood runs faster in the spring in human veins. This is a rune of light and light vitality and a natural desire for movement for all living things.

18. Source
For a correct understanding of this rune, you should remember that Ice is one of the creative primordial elements, symbolizing Force at rest, potentiality, movement in immobility. The rune of the Source, the rune of Ice means stagnation, a crisis in business or in the development of a situation. However, it should be remembered that the state of frozenness, lack of movement, contains the potential force of movement and development (signified by the rune Is) - just as movement includes potential stagnation and freezing.

Slavic runes

At the moment, a lot has been said about the relationship of the Germanic and Slavic languages. In fact, both are two branches of the same language, which have changed over time almost beyond recognition. However, this ancient language still shines through through the murk of later transformations and layers. It is interesting that the Slavs preserved this ancient language in a much purer form. So, the Russian word “bread” and the “stable” that comes from it belong to this language, but the Germans already in the 1st millennium A.D. lost them, replacing them with modern bread. A purely Scandinavian, seemingly, word jarl (noble military leader) comes from the ancient eagle - the battle name of the strongest in the squad; but now the eagle has survived only among the Slavs, while the Germans (the British, for example) use the word eagl.

There are many similar examples, and one of them - the etymology of the term rune - should be examined in more detail, since it is most directly related to the topic of this section.

The now traditional interpretation of the word rune has become established in the scientific community at the end of the last century. Quite rightly, the Germanic runa, rune, denoting the letter of the runic writing, is associated with the Gothic rыna - “secret” and other German. the verb rыnen (modern German raunen) meaning “to whisper”. A certain variety in the interpretation of the word rune was introduced by Nigel Pennick, who pointed to its non-North European parallels: ancient Celtic. run, Wed-wall. rhin meaning "whisper", "whisper"; modern irl. run "secret"; Scottish Gaelic run "draw". However, almost all modern researchers overlook the Slavic languages (by the way, much closer to Scandinavian than the same Celtic). This was not the case at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, during the heyday of research on the Slavic rune.

So, at one time I tried to connect the word rune with the Serb. gronic “to speak” Polish Slavic scholar A. Kuharsky. But V. Tsybulsky and I. Yagich were equally opposed to such an interpretation, finding it “extravagant”. But against the later assumption of D. Zhunkovich, not a single researcher could put forward any counter-arguments. Zhunkovich's version was simply forgotten, as it often happened in the field of Slavic runology ...

Let's digress a little. No later than the very beginning of the 10th century in Bulgaria, the Brave monk wrote lines that have survived to this day and cause so many contradictory, sometimes completely opposite in meaning, judgments: ... ”We will not comment on the words of Brave here (there are enough commentators without us), but we just want to keep them in mind.

At one time, I happened to come to the same conclusion that was made by Zhunkovich, independently of this researcher. I was struck by the existence of many Slavic rivers bearing the mysterious name Runa. In most cases, the etymology of these names is considered unclear. But there is an old Slavic root of the runes: it is from it that Rus comes. wound, wound, dig, ukr. rylla - "furrow". According to Zhunkovich, the same root contains the verb ruti - "to cut" and the noun rune, meaning "cut", "furrow", ... CUT. Was it not these cuts of the Chiteku and Gataakhu the ancient Slavs?

Probably, the term rune nevertheless comes from the oldest Slavic-Northern European base with the meaning of “cut” (which looks natural), while the appearance of European words of the same root, but already bearing the meaning of “secret”, “to speak in silence” is secondary , and is associated with the magical use of ancient carved signs. Ancient runes.

The existence of runic writing among the Slavs is also indicated by many archaeological data. The oldest of them are the finds of ceramics with fragments of inscriptions belonging to the Chernyakhov archaeological culture, uniquely associated with the Slavs and dating from the 1st-4th centuries A.D. Already thirty years ago, signs on these finds were identified as traces of writing.

Another - more recent - group of evidence of the use of runic writing by the Slavs is formed by monuments associated with the Wends, the Baltic Slavs. Of these monuments, let us first of all point out the so-called Mikorzhinsky stones, discovered in 1771 in Poland. Another - truly unique - monument of the "Baltic" Slavic rune is the inscriptions on cult objects from the destroyed in the middle of the 11th century during the German conquest of the Radegast Slavic temple in Retra. It is worth dwelling on these subjects in a little more detail.

After the destruction of the temple, its material values were considered lost or stolen for a long time, until some of them, after more than half a millennium, were born again. Bronze images of gods and ritual objects from the Retrinsky temple were found in the land of the village of Prilvits at the end of the 17th century; much later they were acquired by a certain Andreas Gottlieb Mash, described and ordered engravings. These materials were published by him in 1771 in Germany. His book contains engravings of over six dozen sculptures and other objects.

In Russia, most researchers consider these objects to be fakes, while Western runologists prefer to follow the verdict of a special commission, which studied this issue for two years and decided that the objects are genuine. In addition, in my opinion, a very convincing argument in favor of the authenticity of the objects from Retra is the fact that the original owner of the monuments was a Catholic priest. From the priest, we could much more likely expect the destruction of the monuments of the pagan religion (which he did in relation to some of the objects), but certainly not the production of statues of pagan gods with pagan letters ...

Probably, it makes no sense to continue here the list of such monuments, the number of which is quite large.

Like the runes of the Scandinavian and continental Germans, the Slavic runes go back, apparently, to the North Italian (Alpine) alphabets. There are several main variants of Alpine writing, which, in addition to the northern Etruscans, were owned by the Slavic and Celtic tribes living in the neighborhood. The question of how exactly the Italian writing was brought to the later Slavic regions remains at the moment completely open, as well as the question of the mutual influence of the Slavic and Germanic runes.

An excellent example of this is the widespread use of the Freyr-Inguz rune by the Slavs, which we described in Chapter Three.

Notes (edit)

Today, many people are discovering the pagan culture of the ancient Slavs - the Scythians, Lyutichians, Drevlyans and other nationalities. to the traditions and beliefs of ancestors is not accidental. The connection of the people of that time with nature, the energies of the Earth was too strong, which allowed them to live in harmony with the world around them, which is so lacking in modern man.

Old Slavic runes are part of that culture. At one time they were very revered and were used not only as symbols of the alphabet, but also for protection.

The history of the appearance of Old Slavic runes

Historians have not come to a consensus about the time of the appearance of the runic script among the Slavs, but they agree that it is as old as the Celtic and Etruscan symbols.

For example, the famous German chronicler Titmar of Merseburg, who lived in the late 10th - early 11th centuries, mentions idols with incomprehensible signs on them when describing a Slavic temple in the lands of lutichi. Surely he would recognize the Germanic or Scandinavian runes.

Similar images were described by Ibn El Nedim, an Arab writer who lived in the same period. He mentions the ancient pre-Cyrillic writing, which he discovered on the gravestones of Slavic burials.

Thus, we can safely say that the oldest alphabet of our distant ancestors was the Old Church Slavonic runes. If you turn to archaeological finds, you can find out that the ancient masters put runic signs on household utensils. For example, a clay pot found near the village of Voiskovoye on the Dnieper contains an inscription of 12 words, for which 6 symbols were used. The fact that 3 of them looked like Scandinavian runes suggests that the cultures of these peoples overlapped.

The same symbols were found on cult objects from the ancient temple of Radegast, which belonged to the Polabian (Baltic) Slavs, destroyed in the 11th century.

Old Slavic runes (and their meaning is a direct confirmation of this) cannot be perceived solely as signs of a letter. Their influence on the life of the ancient pagans was enormous: these symbols were applied to the body, to runestones, dishes, to livestock, idols and other objects important for life and beliefs.

Runic alphabet

This writing has Etruscan and Celtic roots, since these peoples lived in the neighborhood with the Slavs. In addition to the fact that the runes were used for writing, there was a cult according to which these signs were considered sacred, since they were given to people by the gods. Tablets with runes, for example, were placed in burials, and pebbles with signs inscribed on them served as amulets.

They were used not only during pagan times, but also after the adoption of Christianity by the Slavic peoples. For example, they depicted the Algiz rune, since it was considered a strong defense against other people's witchcraft and the evil eye. To increase its power, multiple images of this symbol could be applied.

To date, 18 runes are known: Mir, Chernobog, Rainbow, Alatyr, Krada, Need, Wind, Strength, Yes, Treba, Bereginya, Lelya, Ud, Rock, Support, Dazhdbog, Perun and Istok.

Old Slavic runes and charms with symbols applied to them carried a certain meaning and possessed power.

Runes - symbols of good

As is customary in almost all ancient peoples, the Slavs believed that the world was ruled by good and evil forces. Among their gods and goddesses, there are those who help people and take care of them, as well as those who inspire terror.

Old Slavic runes did not escape the same fate. Among them there are also protections, which include:

Rune World symbolizes the Tree of life and the universe. She is also referred to as the White God and the person who is his embodiment. The rune either resembles a tree with two branches. Its center is the trunk of the World Tree or the human spine. The rune of Belboga also means family, world order and harmony. In Scandinavian mythology, he corresponds to the god Heimdall, who protects order and the world from chaos.
A rainbow means a road that has no beginning and no end. As a talisman, she was used on travels for a favorable return, as well as for a positive ending of some difficult business. The rune conveys a state in a way that differs from the usual fuss, as if a person slides through life between Order and Chaos.
Among the ancient Slavs, the word "steal" meant fire, and a rune with this name indicated purification, the disclosure of their intentions to the world. For magical purposes, it was used to embody intentions, to get rid of masks and superficial desires. She helped make dreams come true. there was fire and a verb (“word”).
Treba meant sacrifice, without which it is impossible to translate your desires into reality. It was depicted in the form of an arrow, which suggests that its main direction is dedication, like a warrior's desire for victory. It is impossible to reach new heights without sacrificing your comfort and habits, and this sacrifice should be made by everyone who steps on a new Road.
The rune of Power meant the ability to change two worlds - the inner human and through it the outer. The symbol is a warrior, and the magical meaning is unity. A person who lost integrity and connection with nature, with the help of this rune, restored balance in consciousness and purified it. The soldiers took her with them to return home with victory.
Bereginya is a symbol of the Mother Goddess, who knows all living things on Earth and protects her children. On the one hand, it gives souls entering the world a new body, but on the other, it takes life away, so it can be called a symbol of both life and death.

Old Slavic amulets, runes and their meaning in the life of ancient pagans is an extremely interesting topic. These symbols played a very important role. Belief in the external control of the fate of people by the gods gave these signs magical power that helped our ancestors to withstand the threat of evil and chaos.

Runes - symbols of death

Regardless of the level of development of civilization and people's beliefs, they have always been afraid of death. The unknown that lies behind it terrifies a person. The ancient Slavs had their own myths about the afterlife, and some of the runes are associated with death or fate, from which even the gods cannot hide.

Old Slavic runes and their meaning associated with evil or death:

The ancient Slavs conditionally divided the runes into strong and weak and, depending on the situation, could enhance their effect by repeated repetition.

The most powerful amulet runes

Modern connoisseurs of runes do not fully understand all the nuances of their meanings, as was typical of the Old Slavic shamans and magicians. In those days, the belief in their power was very high among the people, so amulets with runic signs were especially popular.

They were made of stones, silver, wood or gold, runic symbols were embroidered on shirts, women woven ribbons with them into their braids. The most popular were amulets, which depicted Old Slavic runes (photos of some of them are presented in the article), associated with wealth, well-being, health and the preservation of the family hearth.

Among them, the strongest were:

To some extent, the modern descendants of the ancient Slavs adopted the traditions of their ancestors to use runes to protect themselves from problems or to attract wealth, love or success into their lives. Some of them use amulets, while others get tattoos. Old Slavic runes are not a tribute to fashion, but a deep connection with the Family of those who were able to reveal it in themselves.

Home, family and property protection

Knowing one's kind, honoring the memory of ancestors and family were very important in the life of the ancient Slavs. They knew very well where their family came from and from whom, and passed on this knowledge to subsequent generations. The rituals associated with burial, the birth of a person, were largely associated with natural energies that people used to rest the dead or protect newborns.

The ancient Slavs in this matter are very similar to the Chinese, who understood the importance of the correct flow and distribution of qi energy. Old Slavic runes, correctly charged, had a magical property to harmonize external and internal space. Some of them were used to protect the home, to protect family well-being, the birth of beautiful and healthy children, and the possibility of procreation. These include:

These are such interesting and multifaceted - Old Slavic amulets, runes and their meaning. Tattoos with them are one of the most popular among modern people, since the well-being of the family is as important for them as for their ancient ancestors.

Runes from the evil eye and damage

Ancient Slavic magicians knew how not only to use runes to create protective amulets, but also to make spells out of them. Superstitious people at all times are afraid of someone else's envy, damage and the evil eye. A properly made amulet can have not only protective functions, but also neutralize the negative sent to a person.

For example, to protect the witch used:

The ancient Slavs sincerely believed that their deceased ancestors could protect them and help them in times of need. The combination of powerful symbols in one drawing multiplied its charge. You can do the same in our time, having studied the Old Slavic runes and their meaning. A tattoo of several symbols will not only create powerful protection, but also attract good luck or wealth.

Fortune telling on the runes

Today you will find few people who could interpret the runes as well as the sages and sorcerers of antiquity did. One of the ways to find out your fate, or just to get advice on how to act in a given situation, was fortune-telling on Old Slavic runes.

Depending on how they fell out, which side of the sign lay, its meaning changed, and a good rune could turn out to be bad. Knowledgeable sorcerers of those times helped people avoid problems or warned them about possible dangers. Modern magicians know only the basic meanings of runes in fortune-telling, for example:

Runa Alatyr could mean the beginning of a new business or the upcoming road.
The Rainbow symbol meant a successful outcome of something.
If Need fell out during fortune-telling, then the person faced obstacles in business, ruin or even death.
Runa Krada foreshadowed that a person had to bring something to life, but for this he needed to clear his consciousness.
When the Force fell out, it meant that the person would find the right solution for his situation.
The rune Wind personified the creative essence of man and indicated that one should take time to reveal his potential.

These are far from all the interpretations of the Old Slavic runes, since even the sequence of their loss could give new options for the development of events in the fate of a person. Sometimes they used Old Slavonic (runes) to search for treasures. Since the ancient pagans believed that hidden treasures were protected by spells, they made conspiracies and special combinations of runes, which were supposed not only to lead the treasure hunter to the right place, but also to save his life.

Runes in tattoo

Today it is becoming fashionable to use Old Slavic runes and their meaning in tattoos. Those who decide to use their protective power should be very careful, since without knowledge and belief in their power, this - at best - will be just a drawing on the skin, and at worst, it is possible to obtain the opposite effect to the expected one.

It was the faith of people that endowed the runes with power, because each of them was associated with a specific god, for example:

The rune Wind symbolized Veles, who transferred the souls of the dead to the kingdom of Marena.
Beregini's sign was associated with Makosh, the goddess of the earth and harvest.
Runa Ud is Yarilo.

It was the belief in these gods and goddesses that endowed the runes with powerful energy. The ancient Slavs painted them on the body as protection from dark forces or to attract good luck. Likewise, today people should use the Old Church Slavonic runes. A tattoo, backed up by the knowledge of their meaning and belief in the ancient gods, will be a real talisman for its wearer.

How to make a rune-amulet

It makes no sense to buy a ready-made amulet, but if there is no way to make it yourself, then you should at least correctly charge the purchase. To do this, rinse it in running clean water, then hold candles over the fire, put in salt for a day, and then fumigate with incense. So all 4 elements will give the amulet their strength.

The next stage is the transfer of your energy to the amulet with a prayer to the god or goddess, which is symbolized by the rune. Asking for help or protection gives him powerful strength.