Bind rune

A boat of which the mast is formed with the bind runes þ=r=u=t=a=R= =þ=i=a=k=n, on the runestone Sö 158 at Ärsta, Södermanland. The bind runes tell that the deceased was a strong thegn.

The entire inscription could be inserted in the same staff, with the exception of the i rune.

A bind rune is a ligature of two or more runes. They are extremely rare in Viking Age inscription, but are common in pre-Viking Age (Proto-Norse) and in post-Viking Age (medieval) inscriptions.

Examples

Elder futhark

Examples found in Elder Futhark inscriptions include:

• Stacked Tiwaz runes: Kylver Stone, Seeland-II-C
• Gebô runes combined with vowels: Kragehul I

Anglo-Saxon Futhorc

Examples from Anglo-Saxon Futhorc:

• Futhorc ᛡ Ior is a bind rune of Gyfu and Is

Modern use

• The Bluetooth logo merges the runes analogous to the modern Latin alphabet letters h and b; (Hagall) and (Berkanan) together, forming a bind rune.

Gallery

• 
  The i ͡ŋ bindrune.
• 
  The a and the þ rune in ligature on the Rök Runestone.
• The "chair s" bindrune of the Younger Futhark.
  The "chair s" bindrune of the Younger Futhark.
• 
  The s and k runes in ligature in the Old Norse word skipari ("sailor") on the Tuna Runestone in Småland.
• 
  A bind rune found on a runestone from Sønder Kirkby, Denmark.

See also

• Cipher runes