Ansuz rune
From Open Encyclopedia
The a-rune Image:Ansuz1.gif, Younger Futhark ᚬ was probably named after the Æsir, in Proto-Germanic *Ansuz.
The shape of the rune is likely from Neo-Etruscan a (𐌀 Image:EtruscanA-01.png), like Latin A ultimately from Phoenician Aleph.
Its name survives only in the Icelandic rune poem as Óss, however, referring to Odin, identified with Jupiter:
- Image:Ansuz1.gif Óss er algingautr
- ok ásgarðs jöfurr,
- ok valhallar vísi.
- Jupiter oddviti.
- Óss is aged Gautr
- and prince of Ásgardr
- and lord of Vallhalla.
Ihe Norwegian rune poem, Óss has a meaning of "estuary" while in the Anglo-Saxon one, Futhorc Os ᚩ has the Latin meaning of "mouth".
The name of Image:Ahsa1.gif a in the Gothic alphabet is ahsa. The common Germanic name of the rune may thus have either been ansuz "God, one of the Æsir", or ahsam "ear (of corn)".
A variant of the rune is Futharc Æsc ᚫ "ash". The Latin ligature Æ in Old English was called Æsc after the rune.
See also
| Runes |
|---|
| Elder Fuþark: ᚠ f | ᚢ u | ᚦ þ | ᚨ a | ᚱ r | ᚲ k | ᚷ g | ᚹ w | ᚺ h | ᚾ n | ᛁ i | ᛃ j |ᛇ ï | ᛈ p | ᛉ z | ᛊ s |ᛏ t | ᛒ b | ᛖ e | ᛗ m | ᛚ l | ᛜ ng | ᛞ d | ᛟ o |
| Futhorc | Younger Futhark | Rune poems | Runestones | Runology |
