The Vegvisir, also known as the runic compass or the Viking compass/Nordic compass made of eight Viking rune staves, is a symbol of protection and guidance believed to be used as a compass by Vikings. The word vegvisir means ‘wayfinder’ and ‘sign post’ in Icelandic language.
Although it is commonly known as the Viking compass and associated by some people with the voyages Vikings made around the World during the Viking Age, there is quite a bit of a debate regarding the origin of the Vegvisir.
There are two sources mentioning the Vegvisir: the Huld Manuscript compiled by Geir Vigfusson in 1880 and The Galdrabok, another manuscript which is essentially a grimoire – ‘a textbook for magic’.
