What magical symbols did Odin discover by hanging from Yggdrasil?

The story behind the answer

Runes are correct because, according to the Hávamál, Odin hung for nine nights on the World Tree, Yggdrasil—pierced by his own spear and fasting—until the runes revealed themselves. He “sacrificed himself to himself” to gain this hidden wisdom, then seized the runes, granting gods and humans access to their power.

More than an alphabet, runes were carved on wood, bone, and stone for magic, protection, and divination. Their very name comes from a word meaning “secret” or “whisper,” fitting their mystical role. Remember it this way: Odin’s ordeal unlocks “rune-secrets,” not generic glyphs, sigils, or talismanic marks—terms used elsewhere, but not in Norse lore.