Ansuz (rune): Difference between revisions
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{{Ansuz infobox}} |
{{Ansuz infobox}} |
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[[Image:Forasrun.jpg|150px|thumb|right|thub|Variations of the rune in Younger Futhark.]] |
[[Image:Forasrun.jpg|150px|thumb|right|thub|Variations of the rune in Younger Futhark.]] |
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The ''a''-[[rune]] {{Runic|ᚨ}}, [[Younger Futhark]] {{Runic|ᚬ}} was probably |
The ''a''-[[rune]] {{Runic|ᚨ}}, [[Younger Futhark]] {{Runic|ᚬ}} was probably called '''''*ansuz''''' in [[Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic]], to which the Norse name [[Æsir]] is attributed. |
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The shape of the rune is likely from [[Old Italic alphabet|Neo-Etruscan]] ''a'' ([[Image:EtruscanA-01.png|15px|]])<!--this image is actually Old Etruscan, replace if possible-->, like Latin [[A]] ultimately from [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]] [[Aleph (letter)|Aleph]]. |
The shape of the rune is likely from [[Old Italic alphabet|Neo-Etruscan]] ''a'' ([[Image:EtruscanA-01.png|15px|]])<!--this image is actually Old Etruscan, replace if possible-->, like Latin [[A]] ultimately from [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]] [[Aleph (letter)|Aleph]]. |
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Revision as of 08:59, 19 June 2010
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The a-rune ᚨ, Younger Futhark ᚬ was probably called *ansuz in Proto-Germanic, to which the Norse name Æsir is attributed.
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
The Norwegian rune poem, óss has a meaning of "estuary" while in the Anglo-Saxon one, Futhorc ōs 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 continues the Jēran rune after loss of prevocalic *j- in Proto-Norse *jár (Old Saxon jār).
Since the name of 
a is attested in the Gothic alphabet as ahsa, the common Germanic name of the rune may thus either have been *ansuz "god", or *ahsam "ear (of corn)".
A variant of the rune is Futhorc æsc ᚫ "ash". The Latin ligature æ in Old English was called æsc after the rune. Another variant is ac "oak" ᚪ.