Book excerpt: Runework authority and author Edred Thorsson, explores the riddle of the runes. Combing historical lore with a detailed investigation, Runelore focuses on the esoteric aspects of the runic tradition. In Part One, Historical Lore, Thorsson uses archaeological evidence to explain where the runes come from, what they mean, and how they evolved. In Part Two, Hidden Lore, he takes a more psychological view of the runes and looks at the entire cosmology of the Old Norse to explain the role runes played and how they were used over time. Included are specific sections on rune magic and divination, rune poems, runic numerology, and concise explanations of the mysteries of the 24 runes. Reprinted with a newly designed cover, Runelore offers a complete picture of the Runes.