Medieval Sudoku: Codebreaking Hidden Messages in Viking Runes

Jötunvillur is a little-known runic code. Only nine known examples of Jötunvillur inscriptions have been found in northern Europe, making it extremely difficult to crack. When a runes expert managed to make sense of a message scratched into a piece of wood, it seemed that Vikings’ secrets codes would soon begin to unfold.

The word rune simply means ‘letter’, ‘text’ or ‘inscription’ in Old Norse. On the other hand, Old Germanic languages defines it as ‘mystery’ or ‘secret’ – a description which is likely related to the Nordic runes’ roles in magic and rituals.

There is not only one runic alphabet and the oldest date as far back as the 1st century AD. The Jötunvillur is one of the alphabets from the 11th or 12th century – a period when many of the known runic inscriptions come from. Several different codes have been made with the runes as well, in a variety of forms and contexts. Examples have been found carved into sticks and onto stones, swords, pendants, and other artifacts across Europe from the Balkans to Germany, Scandinavia, and the British Isles.