Odal rune
From Open Encyclopedia
Image:Odal Rune 1.png The Odal rune (ᛟ) represents the o sound. Its reconstructed Proto-Germanic name is *ôþalan. The corresponding Gothic letter is 𐍉 o, called oþal. The name means "homestead, estate, inheritance" (see e.g. Uppsala öd and Odal, Norway). Variations of the name include Othila and Othala.
The glyph is illustrated here both with and without the optional small serif-like lines at the bottom. The rune is encoded in Unicode at codepoint U+16DF: ᛟ
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Younger Futhark
Image:Odal Rune 2.png The Odal rune is often associated with property and inheritance, wealth and prosperity. In the Anglo-Saxon rune poem, the name appears as Ethel:
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Troll cross
The Odal rune is suspected to be related to the Troll cross (Trollkors), an odal rune-like symbol made of iron that was used as a pendant on necklaces for women and children or just carved onto valuable objects. According to rural Swedish folk legend, it was believed to protect what was precious against trolls and other malevolent forces.
Modern use
Fascist use
The Odal rune was the emblem of ethnic Germans (Volksdeutsche) of the Yugoslavian SS-regiment (the 7. SS Freiwillingen-Gebirgs -- Division Prinz Eugen) operating during World War II in the National Socialist Germany-sponsored Independent State of Croatia.
Amongst many other, generally small, groups, this symbol has been used by the Afrikaner Student Federation in South Africa, who appropriated it for their flag. [1]
Neopaganism
The Odal rune is also used as a symbol by Heathens and Asatru adherents in particular, often used to indicate ancestry and sometimes as a general indicator of the religion itself without political implications.
Bundeswehr
The German Bundeswehr on the shoulder pads indication the ranking system on a variety of levels, including the German Army and German Navy, uses a geometrical design reminiscent of the Odal rune. No confirmation as to whether it is intended officially as the rune or not has been made by the Bundeswehr.
External link
- Futhark.com - Futhark.com's entry on the Odal rune.
| Runes |
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| 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 |
