There are four graphemes for transmitting vowel phonemes:  — a/ä,  — o/u,  — ö/ü,  — y/i in the repertoire of runic writing. It is believed that these graphemes are used as normal signs for vowels. Nevertheless, the analysis of runic texts inclines the author more and more to the idea that these signs did not have an independent meaning yet. In our opinion, they were used in texts for “technical” purposes. Vocalic graphemes in runic monuments have not yet been used systematically, as is usually the case in alphabetical scripts. In this writing the need for independent using within words and word forms of signs for vowels was not yet felt, since each grapheme was itself a syllabogram, within which a certain vowel already existed.