The study illuminates the functionality of runic epigraphic writing in relation to the inscription carriers. The aim is to place the understanding of writing in the context of the 80 southern Germanic runic inscriptions considered in this study, which mostly date back to the 6th century, within a broader framework. In addition to linguistic phenomena, the visual manifestation of writing, the techniques of inscription application, the layout, and the possible uses of the object are incorporated into the overall interpretation. Not only the linguistic aspects but also the previously less considered non-linguistic inscriptions are part of the analysis and are thus regarded as part of the runic writing culture. An additional focus of the work lies in the systematization of runological methodology for the technical examination of writing and the related research.