This talk took place on February 18, 2024 Most people are aware that heathen Vikings used the "mysterious" runes in their pagan religious practices. And many people know that the Dwarves in The Hobbit used them too. Most people are unaware half of the known inscriptions on standing stones in Scandinavia are explicitly Christian or that the poem "The Dream of the Rood" is carved in runes on the Ruthwell Cross in Scotland. In these two presentations we will explore the origin of these symbols and their practical, religious, political and artistic use over the last couple thousand years, and provide an opportunity for you to write your own name in runes.