Algiz - The rune of protection (2024)

Culture

ᛒ – Berkana is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name of the b-rune with the IPA sound value of [b] or [β].

The meaning of its name is “birch” and its symbolism is clearly linked to fertility, rebirth and womanhood.

This article is part of our exclusive series on the origins and secrets of the Nordic runes in the Elder Futhark and the merits of the intriguing Uthark theory proposed by the Swedish philologist Sigurd Agrell, professor at Lund University, Sweden.

The Uthark is a secret cipher, based on positioning the Fehu rune at the end of the rune row, like an ace in a deck of cards, revealing esoteric philosophy reaching deep into the heart of Norse culture and religious beliefs.

Meaning and interpretation

For many different reasons, the shape of the Berkana rune has been described as representing a pregnant woman, with the rune being noted as a “closed” extension of the “open” rune of the Earth Mother ᛈ-rune Perthro, as shown by the illustration below:

ᛈ — ᛒ

Professor Sigurd Agrell notes the close connection between the birch tree, fertility and women that appears in many forms in ancient European folklore. For example, it is recorded that on the Thursday before Pentecost, Russian peasants went into the woods, sang songs, made garlands, and cut down a young birch tree, which they dressed in a woman’s costume. Similar customs can also be found among many other European peoples, including in Lithuania and parts of Germany. As can also be seen in Icelandic Skaldic poetry, there are ancient legends both in Latvia and Ostrobothnia in Finland about a special connection between the birch tree and the spiritual essence of the woman.

When walking in a typical Scandinavian forest with a mixture of different trees, the birch stands out with its grace and softness that truly exudes a feminine spirit. After the Ice Age, the birch was one of the so-called pioneer species that characterized its early landscapes as vegetation reemerged. Furthermore the birch is among the first trees to bloom in the cold spring of Scandinavia, making the connection to rebirth even stronger.

Amalie Bruun of the Danish music project Myrkur, playing the nyckelharpa in a birch forest, singing the song “Två Konungabarn”.

Symbolism and magical use

According to the numerology of the Uthark hypothesis, Berkana is, in a magical sense, the seventeenth rune. There is also evidence that the number 17 is associated with the feminine, love and women in ancient European folklore. On a number of inscriptions found on objects clearly worn by women, the gematria is focused around 17.

Consistently, the seventeenth stanza of Odin’s troll songs, clearly alludes to love, passion and womanhood.

pat kann ek it siautianda, at mik mun seint firra:
it manunga man;

“A seventeenth I can: ….
that late she forgets me
the young woman, who is loved by me.”

An ancient 17-word Old English poetic medical text has also been documented, aimed at ensuring a healthy pregnancy.

Up ic gonge, ofer pe stæppe
mid cwican cilde nales mid cwellendum,
mid fulborenum nalas mid fægan.

And when a woman is carrying a child, and she lieth down with her husband,
she shall say, I will arise, and I will pass over thee with a living child,
with a fully developed child, not with one that is fallen unto death.

(Free translation, TNT)

One artifact with gematria based around the number 17 is the Seax of Beagnoth (“The Thames Knife”), dated to the 10th century. This contains the entire 28-character English futhork.
After the eight runes of the first aett (see explanation of aettir in the article about Hagalaz) there is a punctuation mark on the knife, as well as after the second aett. The third aett is followed by two engraved ornaments and finally a word, BEAGNOþ, which is probably a name.

Interestingly, the sum of the three aettir and the two punctuation marks is exactly the same as on the Charnay Fibula (17*24=408), an artifact which you can read more about here in our previous article about the Algiz rune.

Punctuation marks appear on many artifacts in a seemingly random order, sometimes with one punctuation mark, sometimes two, sometimes three and sometimes a combination of the different marks. On the Charnay fibula, four plus four plus three punctuation marks occur.

The ornament that follows also consists of 17 squares.

The Norse goddess of love, Frigg, wife of Odin, was seen as a special protector of womankind as a whole. Sigurd Agrell further notes that Frigg and Freya numerologically is alluding to 17 and is, not surprisingly, most closely associated to the Berkana rune.

As in other Germanic languages, the name of Friday comes from the Old English frīġedæġ, meaning “day of Frigg” or “day of Freya“. The Nordic goddess was seen as the equivalent of the Roman goddess Venus, with whom the day is associated in many other cultures, like in Italian venerdì, French vendredi and Spanish viernes.

The god of war Tiwaz has given name to Tuesday, consequently the Roman god of battle and victory, Mars, was also identified with Tyr, and also named Tuesday in Latin – dies Martis. The similarities and influences of ancient Rome and Greece is a cornerstone of Agrell’s Uthark theory and it just so happens that Thursday is also named by the thunder god Thor in Scandinavian-Germanic languages and by his equivalent Jupiter in Latin. Of course Wednesday is named by Odin (Wotan) and his equivalent Mercury, like mercredi in French.

In modern times, the Berkana rune is best known for its appearance on the Bluetooth symbol, which is a so-called bindrune – a combination of the Berkana rune and the younger Futhark version of the Hagalaz rune.

Bindrunes on artifacts are covered here and here.

The Bluetooth symbol is derived from the analogy that technology would unite devices, just as the Danish king Harald Bluetooth united the various tribes of Denmark into a common kingdom in the year 958. Harald Bluetooth was known, as the name suggests, for his dark blue-gray coloured dead tooth which gave him his nickname. The bindrune of H and B stands for his initials.

Divination

With its associations to the feminine, the Berkana rune is considered to relate not only to motherhood, family life, and the nurturing hearth of the home – but also to rebirth and growth in a broader sense.

The basics of rune divination

According to Norse belief, the runes represent aspects of the web of destiny, called the web of Urd (Wyrd). This web is intimately connected to time and the three Norns; Urd, Verdandi and Skuld. The Norns are weaving the threads of the web and represent what was, what is and what is to come.

Tacitus, among others, noted that rune divination was a widespread practice among the Norse. One of the most basic forms of such divination is to pray and draw three runes on twigs or cards which will signify the three Norns. By reading the web of Urd one may understand the present of Verdandi as well as the past, and also lift the veil of Skuld and see what lies hidden in the future.

Like other runes, its meaning in a divination depends on both the question and the context. For example, in the context of a relationship question, an upright Berkana could suggest a renewal of the relationship, love, or even that a child is on the way – or, for the person not in a relationship, that love is around the corner. In another context, it may refer to a renewed identity, or a personal rebirth, or a significant breakthrough in one’s personal development in some way.

In contrast, a Berkana turned upside down or oblique is said to represent stagnation and a lack of nurturing love in the relationship, or stagnated personal development.

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Culture

ᛏ – Tiwaz, is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name of the t-rune. It is the 17th rune of the Futhark rune row, thus the 16th in the row of the Uthark.

The name of rune refers directly to the Æsir god Tyr. It is one of only two runes that directly bear the name of a god, the other being Ingwaz, which is a name of the fertility god Freyr.Ullr, Heimdall, Odin, and Thor are closely associated with the runes Eihwaz, Hagalaz, Ehwaz, and Raidho respectively, but they do not bear the names of the gods.

Tyr has named the second day of the week – Tuesday, literally “Tyr’s day” – in English from the old version of Tyr’s name, Tiw.

This article is part of our exclusive series on the origins and secrets of the Nordic runes in the Elder Futhark and the merits of the intriguing Uthark theory proposed by the Swedish philologist Sigurd Agrell, professor at Lund University, Sweden.

The Uthark is a secret cipher, based on positioning the Fehu rune at the end of the rune row, like an ace in a deck of cards, revealing esoteric philosophy reaching deep into the heart of Norse culture and religious beliefs.

Meaning and interpretation

Contrary to widespread belief, Tyr is the main god of war in Norse mythology, not Thor. Tyr is the law-giving force in the Norse worldview and represents balance and order, something that is kept by Thor and the associated Raidho rune. Interestingly, the numerological value of Raidho and Tiwaz according to the Uthark is connected, as rune number 4 and number 16 (4 times 4).

The Roman god of battle and victory, Mars, was identified with Tyr, and also named Tuesday in Latin – dies Martis – “day of Mars”. Professor Agrell also links Tyr to the undefeated god of battle Mithra, which was the central deity of the Mithraic cult in the Roman Empire and numerologically-esoterically connected to 16. This is quite significant since most of the runes in the Uthark fits very well with either the Mithraic numerology, the numerology of the Norse sagas or in many cases both. Furthermore Wednesday, Thursday as well as Friday are also named from the norse gods of Odin, Thor and godess Frigg.

Tyr is also regarded as the oldest of all the Æsir and according to the encyclopedia Fornnordiskt lexikon, he is described as being identical to the original sky god of the Indo-Europeans – Dyēus.

The Tiwaz rune is shaped like an arrow pointing upwards. It reveals both a scale and a spear – symbolizing the natural laws of reality as the pillar that supports the roof of the sky – as well as the warrior spirit forging a path to ever greater heights.

The rune is also clearly phallic and regarded a sacred symbol of masculinity and the main rune of men, while the following rune Berkana is the main rune of women.

According to one of the most iconic tales of the Norse mythology, Tyr puts his hand in the mouth of the terryfying Fenrir wolf as a “security” when the gods trick it into the binding chains of Gleipnir. The wolf later bites his hand off when it realizes that it has been deceived. This perfectly symbolizes that the rune of Tyr brings victory – but a victory that involves sacrifice.

Symbolism and magical use

While the sky god Ullr (symbolized by the Eihwaz rune) has had a special status especially in Sweden and Norway with several villages and cities with names derived from Ull, Tyr has apparently been a highly revered god in Denmark with a long list of places with the prefix Tyr while there is only one such place in Sweden.

A bractaete from Zealand, Denmark, has been translated as

“Hariuha is my name, the dangerously knowing one. I give happiness.”

ᚺᚨᚱᛁᚢᚺᚨ ᚺᚨᛁᛏᛁᚲᚨ ᛬ ᚠᚨᚱᚨᚢᛁᛋᚨ ᛬ ᚷᛁᛒᚢ ᚨᚢᛅᚨ ᛬ ᛏᛏᛏ

hariuha haitika : farauisa ᛬ gibu auja ᛬ ttt

The message concludes with a triple bindrune of Tyr. The Tyr rune repeated three times is a recurring phenomenon in a number of finds, as is the motif of Tyr and the Wolf of Fenrir.

It is also worth noting that Tyr stands first in in the third ættir of the Futhark and last as a gatekeeper in the fifth secret ættir of the Uthark just as Heimdall stands first in the second ættir of the Futhark and last as a gatekeeper in the fourth secret ættir of the Uthark. Apart from the numerous other references to their respective numbers 8 and 16 it is also befitting in this sense as well.

Finally, one last esoteric coincidence to be noted is that the rune of fate – Nauthiz – and Tiwaz, being first and last of the fifth ætt, also form a pair of opposites in the Uthark covered in the previous rune.

Divination

The Tiwaz rune represents the law-bound order of reality and ultimate justice, manifested in the warrior spirit with its unbreakable will to grow and overcome any adversity in its path. The appearance of the Tiwaz rune in a runic reading is a reminder that the path to Victory is forged with a willingness to fight – and endure pain if necessary. It is calling upon courage, moral integrity and an attitude of selfless service to the greater good.

The basics of rune divination

According to Norse belief, the runes represent aspects of the web of destiny, called the web of Urd (Wyrd). This web is intimately connected to time and the three Norns; Urd, Verdandi and Skuld. The Norns are weaving the threads of the web and represent what was, what is and what is to come.

The Roman historian Tacitus, among others, noted that rune divination was a widespread practice among the Norse. One of the most basic forms of such divination is to pray and draw three runes on twigs or cards which will signify the three Norns. By reading the web of Urd one may understand the present of Verdandi as well as the past, and also lift the veil of Skuld and see what lies hidden in the future.

Drawn upside down, Tiwaz can signify injustice, or even cowardice, laziness and short-sighted selfishness. Are you actually on the side of true justice, or have you fallen into the dangerous trap of self-righteousness? Have you become comfortable and chosen the path of least resistance? The upside-down Tiwaz may be a warning that this may lead you down a path of failure, shame, and deep regret.

Discover the following rune Berkana – the rune of the birch

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Culture

ᛊ – Sowilo, is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name of the s-rune, meaning “sun”.

The rune appears on older runic inscriptions mainly in the form of 𐌔, for example in the Kylver Stone rune row, and has been thought by some rune scholars to derive from the Greek sigma (Σ). The ᛊ-form appears to a greater extent on later inscriptions between the fifth and seventh centuries.

This article is part of our exclusive series on the origins and secrets of the Nordic runes in the Elder Futhark and the merits of the intriguing Uthark theory proposed by the Swedish philologist Sigurd Agrell, professor at Lund University, Sweden.

The Uthark is a secret cipher, based on positioning the Fehu rune at the end of the rune row, like an ace in a deck of cards, revealing esoteric philosophy reaching deep into the heart of Norse culture and religious beliefs.

According to the Uthark, it’s the 15th rune, something that makes as much sense from a mythological perspective as Thurisaz being the second, Ansuz being the third or Nauthiz being the ninth rune. There are quite a few hints to fifteen and its solar symbolism.

Meaning and interpretation

As in many ancient cultures, the sun was revered by the Norse, not only as a de facto life-giving energy but also as a divine being. This is evident in the Old Norwegian and Old Icelandic rune poems, where the name of the rune is Sól, which is still today the word for “sun” in Scandinavian languages.

Old Norwegian
ᛋ Sól er landa ljóme;
lúti ek helgum dóme.

Sun is the light of the world;
I bow to the divine decree.

Old Icelandic
ᛋ Sól er skýja skjöldr
ok skínandi röðull
ok ísa aldrtregi.
rota siklingr.

Sun is the shield of the clouds
and shining ray
and destroyer of ice.

To the right of the inscription of the rune row on the famous Kylver stone, there is a separate inscription on the stone with the meaning “sun” – “SULIUS” which both begins and ends with the Sowilo rune. For some reason, probably magical, the Sowilo in the rune row is in the shape of a reversed 𐌔 while the Sowilo runes in SULIUS consists of one reversed ᛊ and one regular ᛊ.

Symbolism and magical use

An old Icelandic poem directed against dwarves and other underworldly beings, documented by Jón Árnason, folklore collector and librarian at the Reykjavik National Library, is clearly organized around the number 15.

The incantation at the end of the poem – “Alog fylgi nú minu máli” – “Binding power now follows my words” – for example, consists of five words and is repeated three times. This is logically explained by the fact that 15 in runic magic was the number of the sun. The sun was most dreaded by these shadowy beings, who met their doom at the sight of the sun – as shown in many Nordic folk tales.

One such tale is told in the Eddic poem The song of Alvis (Alvissmál) which probably dates from around the 11th century. The story tells of a conversation between Thor and the dwarf Alvíss (“All-wise”) who later turns into a stone when the sun rises despite answering all of Thor’s questiones – This is the only known instance of Thor outsmarting an opponent rather than defeating him by pure force.

The sun rune is also clearly associated with the number 15 in Odin’s troll songs, where “Delling’s door” denotes the sun.

“I know a fifteenth,
the dwarf at Delling’s door.”

Inscriptions and amulets with numerology testify that the sun was also associated with the number 15 in the Roman Mithraic mysteries. As shown in previous articles of the series, Mithraic numerology seems in many ways to be reflected in rune magic.

Counting from the center of the Uthark rune row, it is also worth noting that the sun rune “mirrors” the ice rune Isa – the tenth rune according to the Uthark, just as the fifth rune fire rune Kenaz mirrors the water rune Laguz – the twentieth rune. In other words, these four runes – symbolizing fire, ice, sun and water – occupy positions 5, 10, 15 and 20 in the Uthark.

There are many other interesting “pairs” – some very obvious, some less so. More about these will be revealed in later articles…

Divination

The sun is deeply associated in ancient traditions with the lifeforce – Prana in the Vedic tradition and Qi in Chinese philosophy. In a rune reading, the sun rune, with its life-generating power, is therefore said to be a sign of good health or recovery. Turned upside down, it can therefore also be a sign of impending illness and a call to do what you can to take care of your health.

According to Norse belief, the runes represent aspects of the web of destiny, called the web of Urd (Wyrd). This web is intimately connected to time and the three Norns; Urd, Verdandi and Skuld. The Norns are weaving the threads of the web and represent what was, what is and what is to come.

The Roman historian Tacitus, among others, noted that rune divination was a widespread practice among the Norse. One of the most basic forms of such divination is to pray and draw three runes on twigs or cards which will signify the three Norns. By reading the web of Urd one may understand the present of Verdandi as well as the past, and also lift the veil of Skuld and see what lies hidden in the future.

Sowilo may also predict recognition for effort and tend to appear in a rune reading when you have been working hard and sacrifices are finally about to pay off. In another context, it may also alert you to the fact that you won’t reap the awards unless you do the work.

Discover the following rune Tiwaz – the rune of Victory

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