This is part of a series on the Elder Futhark runes. Each rune will be accompanied by fitting Hávamál stanzas from the Poetic Edda translation by Dr. Jackson Crawford and my own words here and there. Descriptions and meanings are derived from my notes on the Elder Futhark runes.

Rune: ᛉ Name: Algiz Alphabetic: Z Meaning: Elk Attributes: Protection, Shield

Here’s the notes I’ve made on the Elder Futhark after studying and researching them online.

Note that many sources have differing interpretations of some of the more vague runes. Peorth or Pertho —  ᛈ — is one of these runes that are far from clear as to their meaning. This list is just what I have gathered so far from multiple sources and compiling it into something that I feel makes sense.

Alphabetical - Rune -  Name - Meaning - Description A — ᚨ — Ansuz — God, Odin — God, Wisdom, Words, Speech B — ᛒ — Berkano — Birch — Fertility, Birth C — ᚲ — Kaunaz — Fire, Torch   — Beacon, Illumination, Understanding, Knowledge D — ᛞ — Dagaz — Day, Dawn — Awakening, New Beginning, Ambition E — ᛖ — Ehwaz — Horse — Loyalty, Movement F — ᚠ — Fehu — Cattle, Frey — Cattle, Wealth G — ᚷ — Gebo — Gift — Generosity, Sacrifice H — ᚺ — Hagalaz — Hail — Wrath of Nature, Crisis I — ᛁ — Isaz — Ice — Stagnation J — ᛃ — Jera — Year — Good Harvest, Season,  Earth K — ᚲ — Kaunaz — Fire — ''' L — ᛚ — Laguz — Water — Emotions, Dreams, Imagination M — ᛗ — Mannaz — Man — Mankind, Human N — ᚾ — Nauthiz — Necessity — Need, Desire NG — ᛜ — Ingwaz — Ing, Earth God, Old name of Freyr   — Harmony, Balance, Potential O — ᛟ — Othala — Ancestry — Property P — ᛈ — Peorth/Pertho — Hearth? — Chance, Dice, Destiny Q — ᚲ — Kaunaz — Fire — ''' R — ᚱ — Raidho — Ride, Wagon, Wheel — Journey S — ᛊ / ᛋ — Sowilo — Sun — Success, Life Force T — ᛏ — Tiwaz — Tyr — Warrior, Honour, Justice, Courage TH — ᚦ — Thurisaz — Thor, Giant — Forceful Action U — ᚢ — Uruz — Oer os — Health, Physical Strength V — ᚹ — Wunjo — Joy — Pleasure W — ᚹ — Wunjo — Joy — ''' X — (ᚲ +  ᛊ / ᛋ ) —  Y* — ᛇ — Eihwaz — Yew Tree — Reliability, Trustworthiness Z — ᛉ — Algiz — Elk — Protection, Shield

* Eihwaz is not sufficiently correct for the letter ‘Y’ as it is more accepted as an ‘ae’ sound.

The Elder Futhark is ‘traditionally’ put in 3 parts or ‘Aetts’. The first is Freyr/Freyja’s Aett, the second is Heimdalls Aett and third is Tyr’s Aett. A handy way to remember the names of the Runes and to which Aett they belong to is to use the following:

Freyr/Freyja — Heimdall — Tyr ᚠ ᚢ ᚦ ᚨ ᚱ ᚲ ᚷ ᚹ — ᚺ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛊ — ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛗ ᛚ ᛜ ᛞ ᛟ futharkgw — hnijipas — tbemlingdo

f-u-th-a-r-k-g-w — h-n-i-j-ï-p-a-s — t-b-e-m-l-ing-d-o

This is part of a series I’m doing on the Elder Futhark runes. Each rune will be accompanied by fitting Hávamál stanzas from the Poetic Edda translation by Dr. Jackson Crawford and my own words here and there. Descriptions and meanings are derived from my notes on the Elder Futhark runes.

Rune: ᚱ Name: Raidho Alphabetic: R Meaning: Ride, Wagon, Wheel Attributes: Journey

This rune mostly speaks of the journey a person can be on, be it physical or spiritual. Some Hávamál stanzas gives advice on what you should do when going on a journey:

— Hávamál 5 A man needs wisdom if he plans to wander widely; life is easier at home. He’ll be laughed at if he sits among the wise and has nothing to say.

— Hávamál 10 A traveler cannot bring a better burden on the road than plenty of wisdom. It will prove better than money in an unfamiliar place— wisdom is the comfort of the poor. 

— Hávamál 11 A traveler cannot bring a better burden on the road than plenty of wisdom. and he can bring no worse a burden than too much alcohol.

— Hávamál 18 Only a man who is wide-traveled and has wandered far can know something about how other men think. Such a man is wise.

— Hávamál 34 It’s a long and crooked walk to a bad friend, even if he lives nearby. But it’s an easy road to a good friend, no matter how long the journey. 

This is part of a series I’m doing on the Elder Futhark runes. Each rune will be accompanied by fitting Hávamál stanzas from the Poetic Edda translation by Dr. Jackson Crawford and my own words here and there. Descriptions and meanings are derived from my notes on the Elder Futhark runes.

Rune: ᚨ Name: Ansuz Alphabetic: A Meaning: God (’As’; plural Aesir, Spirit) Attributes: Odin, Wisdom, Words

In the Poetic Edda, and the Hávamál in particular, there are numerous stanzas and mentions of wisdom. Here are some of the core ones:

— Hávamál 5 A man needs wisdom if he plans to wander widely; life is easier at home. He’ll be laughed at if he sits among the wise and has nothing to say.

— Hávamál 6 A wise man is not showy about his wisdom; he guards it carefully. He is silent when he comes to a stranger’s home. The wise man seldom wanders into harm, for you can never have a more faithful friend than a good supply of wisdom.

— Hávamál 10 A traveler cannot bring a better burden on the road than plenty of wisdom. It will prove better than money in an unfamiliar place— wisdom is the comfort of the poor.

— Hávamál 28 You will seem wise if you know the answer, and know how to explain it. People are not able to keep a secret of what they hear about other people.

It also gives a warning for being too wise:

— Hávamál 54 You should be only a little wise, never too wise. The happiest people throughout their lives are the moderately wise.

— Hávamál 55 You should be only a little wise, never too wise. A wise man’s heart is seldom glad if he’s truly wise.

— Hávamál 56 You should be only a little wise, never too wise. It’s best not to know your fate beforehand; you’ll live happier if you don’t.

— Hávamál 57 A torch is lit by another and burns till it’s burned out; a fire is kindled by another fire. A man becomes wise by speaking with other men, but foolish by keeping to himself.

— Hávamál 54 If you want to be called wise, you should know how to ask and answer wisely, Tell your secret to one person, never to two— everyone knows, if three people know.

— Hávamál 103 If you want to be very wise, be happy at home, and cheerful with a guest​. Cultivate wisdom, a good memory, and eloquence, and speak kind words often You’ll be called a fool if you can’t say much— that’s the mark of the unwise

This is part of a series on the Elder Futhark runes. Each rune will be accompanied by fitting Hávamál stanzas from the Poetic Edda translation by Dr. Jackson Crawford and my own words here and there. Descriptions and meanings are derived from my notes on the Elder Futhark runes.

Rune: ᛊ / ᛋ Name: Sowilo  Alphabetic: S Meaning: Sun  Attributes: Success, Life Force