Most Runic texts are found on hard surfaces such as rock, wood, and metal, and this might explain its angular shape. Because of the resemblance to Mediterranean scripts, it is very likely that Futhark was adapted from either the Greek or Etruscan alphabet. Even though the earliest Runic inscriptions are from the 3rd century CE, its origin may lie much deeper in the pre-history of Northern Europe. …
The Futhark of 24 letters is called “Elder Futhark”, and was used mostly before the 9th century CE. But as languages changed and more Germanic groups adopted it, Futhark changed as well to suit the language that it came to write.
I spent this summer at the seaside as usual, on the Island of Pag , at Croatian Adriatic sea. I’ve been collecting pieces of driftwood, pebbles, sea shells and other items modeled and shaped by the nature.
As the civilization gradually infiltrates into every bit of this planet, thus the construction sites invades the shore. But the sea is the builder, the sculptor and the destroyer, so it takes from the land into its depths then returns something scared, changed but beautiful. Walking down one of this deserted construction sites by the sea, I found pieces of planks, and bricks and roof tiles. But most interesting were those tiles fragments, modeled and rounded by the sea, looking like little pebbles. Sea made contemporary everyday objects look like ancient pieces. I wanted to make something with them, something that has an air of history.
Looking at the paintings of “Natural phenomena” series, it came to me that each brings strong symbolism and deeper meaning that can be linked to tarot and runes. From the beginning of time, our ancestors worshiped and feared great forces of nature. They personified them and made them Gods or spirits. They bring archetypal meaning deeply imprinted in our collective conciseness.
The whole idea started to envelope when I stumbled upon the tarot card “Tower” on the internet. It instantly reminded me of the meteor painting. So I started to ruminate over other paintings and their correlation to tarot or rune.
I will use Raider-Waite deck for this post because It is best known deck even amongst people that don’t share interest in occult or esoteric. Pictures are shown in increasing order by numbers of Major Arcana cards. (The deck I use for my personal meditation and contemplation is Arthurian tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson Legend-arthurian tarot, which embodies mysterious appeal of tarot and dark age legends likewise. Oh, and dragons, too). Runes are elder futhark.
Those are my associations, I’m sure that there are plenty of different opinions how to match tarot cards with runes, let alone this paintings.
Volcano is strong and unpredictable force, often used to describe someone temperamental, like the lion, untamed beast. When lion is tamed he is warm, timid and cuddly, but always keeping his wild side inside-like magma boiling inside the sleeping volcano. Eruption of volcano is destructive force, but when lava hardens it creates. It can heal. It’s ash nourishes the soil. Volcanos gases form planet’s atmosphere – it basically gives us life. Uruz symbolises life force, endurance, formation, healing, manifestation – and so embodies all concepts of Volcano and tarot card Strength. And zodiac sign Leo – bold and strong and passionate.
If we look at northern lights in the sense of spiritual lights and search, then The hermit becomes obvious. Isa means ice and signifies coldness, isolation, stillness, but it urges you to move forward, because If you don’t find your way out, you will be dead. Death can be spiritual, emotional, not just physical. It’s like the hermit card in some aspects. The Virgo – rational and patient, enduring but wise and kind. General message of this trio is to dive into coldness end isolation to emerge enlightened.
Few man need Fortuna like the sailors, for ages they are toys of Faith. Every journey depends on wheel of fortune, as in life. Sometimes the see is still and beautiful and sometimes is wild and dangeros. Perthro is the rune of fate, luck, unknown, universal law of cause and effect. The wheel of fortune rotates infinitely and no one knows for sure what future brings. And what will the planet of luck, Jupiter’s constellations bring.
I named this painting sun is hiding – because the sun is there, it is only transitional state, and darkness passes. Tarot card Death is similar. It’s ominous look is frightening, but the key concept of this card is beginning through ending, change, transformation, transition. Ansuz also speaks of transition, ancestors, transformation. Like the Scorpio, that mysterious, dark, yet deep and warm sign – changeable and transformational in its nature. So I think that the general theme here is change, life cycles- the necessity to get rid of what is no longer useful and begin the new chapter in our life.
Oooh, The tower! – I think that most of us thinks that when that card appears in the reading. It is card of destruction – like Uranus its planet ruler – or like meteor impact. They all bring chaos, shock, they are sudden and unpredicted. They drastically and swiftly sake you to the bones. But! This is not necessarily bad, it makes you question your beliefs, like death (and it is linked to Death card – Scorpio whose ruling planets are Mars and Uranus) – and brings change. Although Fefu is mostly seen like positive rune, it also brings the concept of new beginnings, failure, and energy – matching the tower meaning.
The moon is mysterious and deep, signifies intuition, psychic powers and deep emotions. It also evokes illusion and dreams. Like the Laguz rune. Moon being the ruling planet of zodiac sign cancer, gives that moonchild all that gifts (and sometimes burdens)., and makes it volatile like moon phases. Being cancer myself, I know that Moon, oh so well.
Josipa'S Art 