The Elder Futhark is a runic alphabet of twenty-four characters used among early Germanic-speaking peoples during the first several centuries of the Common Era. In addition to their linguistic function, the runes later became associated with symbolic and interpretive meanings within various cultural, esoteric, and divinatory traditions. Modern interpretations may differ considerably from their historical uses, so the Elder Futhark can be understood both as an ancient writing system and as a later symbolic framework.