Ancient alphabet character

The answer to the crossword question “Ancient alphabet character” is RUNE. Runes are the letters in a set of related alphabets used to write various Germanic languages before the adoption of the Latin alphabet. They were used in Scandinavia, Germany, and other parts of Europe from the 3rd century until the Middle Ages. Each rune has a specific meaning and was often used for divination or magical purposes. Today, runes are still used in some modern pagan religions and are popular in fantasy literature and games.