A comprehensive guide to runes and runology, covering all aspects of the subject. It begins by discussing the origin of runes, their development in Europe (especially Scandinavia) and in Anglo-Saxon England, and the demise of traditional runic writing at the end of the Middle Ages. It then moves on to look at the different types of runic inscription and their context; cryptic runes; rune names; the use of runes in the post-Reformation era; the practicalities of how runic inscriptions were made and where they are to be found; and how runologists read and interpret inscriptions, together with a history of runology. A glossary of technical terms and essential information on speech sounds are also provided, while the numerous illustrations shed further light on the subject.