Ansuz rune

Ansuz

Variations of the rune in Younger Futhark.

The a-rune ᚫ, Younger Futhark ᚬ was probably named after the Æsir, in Proto-Germanic *Ansuz. The shape of the rune is likely from Neo-Etruscan a (), 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:

ᚬÓss er algingautr

ok ásgarðs jöfurr,

ok valhallar vísi.

Jupiter oddviti.

Óss is aged Gautr

and prince of Ásgardr

and lord of Vallhalla.

chief Jupiter

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 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 Futharc Æsc ᚫ "ash". The Latin ligature Æ in Old English was called Æsc after the rune. Another variant is Ac "oak" ᚪ.

See also

• Rune poem