The Wanderer's Rune

3 Things to know

1. Inspired by the 4 corners of Europe

The wanderer's rune or Oak Rune, is a set of ancient runes and symbols sometimes featuring oak branches in its most stylized version. Why oak? Because it's the mythical tree of the Druids, ancient sages and philosophers in Gaul, and a symbol of strength throughout Europe.

The elements that make it up are inspired by the four corners of Europe, adding it to the very short list of symbols unifying the whole of our European territory. And best of all, it's easy to reproduce, making it a popular symbol of good luck.

We call it the Oak Rune or wanderer's rune. Predictable, isn't it?

2. It is made up of 5 ancient symbols

The asterisk, originally a proto-historical symbol

They can be found all over Europe, and especially in Italy's Val Camonica. Classified as a unesco World Heritage site, Val Camonica contains the oldest European runes, the alphabetical ancestor of the runes. Its symbolism is said to represent the soul of the ancestors. Ideal as a foundation for our emblem.

Elhaz and Raidho

Two Germanic / Scandinavian runes. Elhaz (or Algiz) for protection in adversity and against harmful forces, Raidho for the energy of travel and adventure.

An Irish Ogham: Duir

Taken from an obscure medieval Irish alphabet, it resembles small, drawn sticks. Placed like this, they are commonly associated with the "Oak".

Oak

This tree, sacred to the Druids, has always been a symbol of strength, bravery and rebirth.

Finally, the connoisseur will also find the Chrism, that ancient Greek symbol which, before being taken up religiously in Byzantium, meant "Of Good Augury".

3. It has become a symbol of rallying and wonder.

The wanderer's rune, or the Oaken rune, is today, like our products, an emblem for recognition among members of a large community that combines a love of history and heritage, a spirit of camaraderie and an attraction to fantastic imaginary worlds that are often a source of inspiration for building the future. So wanderer's rune is no longer just a lucky symbol, but a unifying and benevolent insignia.

The Oak Rune is used freely by our customers and partners, whether to identify each other, leave a message on an ancient site, indicate a geo-cache or act as a Guild relay...

If all this still seems nebulous to you, we encourage you to read about the Travelers' Guild, the titanic community project initiated by our brand.

Go to the Guilde des Voyageurs website

Is it associated with the Travellers' Guild?

Exactly. After 5 years of existence, Runes de Chêne donated the rune to the Guilde des Voyageurs project as a symbol of recognition for all its members. Today, it's used just about everywhere to leave hidden messages on the land, geo-caches or as a rallying symbol at festivals and events. In short, it's now a symbol for you too.

Can we reuse, reproduce, draw or tattoo this symbol?

If you recognize yourself in the values we stand for, you are authorized to do so on a personal basis. The Rune de Chêne is licensed for personal use only. If you have a specific project with us that falls outside this scope, please contact us!

Is it a historical symbol?

The elements that make it up are.

On the other hand, the final assembly was imagined by our designer and co-founder Uriel, for the needs of the brand. But is this really the case?

If you ask him, he'll tell you that this symbol popped into his head, suddenly and without warning, when he'd been struggling for weeks to find the brand's logo. All the elements then stood out, with a disturbing logic, like the Duir ogham, the oak tree, whose meaning he didn't know at first; and the same for the Chrism or Hagalaz.

A helping hand from our ancestors? That's up to interpretation. One thing is certain: for him, this symbol represents the noblest essence of the European people, as well as an ode to travel and discovery.

What does "Ancient souls & conquerors" mean?

It's the Brand's motto

Ancient souls

...refers to the feeling that many have sometimes had (we were the first) of having been born at the wrong time. Of course, it's just a figure of speech. It's a kind of sweet melancholy, where we fall in love with dreaming of the best aspects of the past, which we can no longer find in the present. For modern times can sometimes seem devoid of deep meaning. This phrase evokes our desire to combine the best of the past and the present to create a better future. In any case, tell yourself that no, you weren't born in the wrong era because Runes de Chêne doesn't exist in the others. 😎

Conquerors

The Conqueror is a person who expresses a desire to conquer and surpass. Of oneself, or of one's frontiers. Taken in the individual, non-martial sense, this word carries a positive, warlike energy that drives us forward, pushing back our limits, conquering our own lives... and reclaiming what has been bequeathed to us.