Ansuz (rune)

The "a"-rune runic|ᚨ, Younger Futhark runic|ᚬ was probably named after the Æsir, in Proto-Germanic "*Ansuz".

The shape of the rune is likely from Neo-Etruscan "a" (.

Its name survives only in the Icelandic rune poem as Óss, however, referring to Odin, identified with Jupiter:

:runic|ᚬ"Óss er algingautr": "ok ásgarðs jöfurr,": "ok valhallar vísi.": Jupiter "oddviti. ":Óss is aged Gautr: and prince of Ásgardr: and lord of Vallhalla.: chief Jupiter

The Norwegian rune poem, "Óss" has a meaning of "estuary" while in the Anglo-Saxon one, futhorc "Os" runic|ᚩ has the Latin meaning of "mouth". The Younger Futhark rune is transliterated as "ą" to distinguish it from the new Ár rune (ᛅ), which contines the "Jēran" rune after loss of prevocalic "*j-" in Proto-Norse "*jár" (Old Saxon "jār").

The name of "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 Futhorc "Æsc" runic|ᚫ "ash". The Latin ligature Æ in Old English was called Æsc after the rune. Another variant is "Ac" "oak" runic|ᚪ.

ee also

*Rune poem