Tyr's Futhark
The Elder Futhark is the oldest form of the runic alphabet being used from the 2nd to the 8th century.
According to the Poetic Edda the gods decided to shackle the wolf Fenrir, but the wolf broke every chain they tried to put on him. Eventually the dwarves were made to make a magical ribbon called Gleipnir from the noise a cat makes when it moves, the sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish, the spittle of a bird, the beard of a woman, and the roots of a mountain. The gods then took these items from the world and that is why they do not exist today. Fenrir sensed the gods’ deceit and refused to be bound with it unless one of them put his hand in the wolf’s mouth.
Tyr, known for his great honesty and courage, agreed, and the other gods bound the wolf. After Fenrir had been bound by the gods, he struggled to try and break the rope. When the gods saw that Fenrir was bound they all laughed, except Tyr, who had his right hand bitten off by the wolf. Fenrir will remain bound until the day of Ragnarok. As a result of this deed, Tyr is called the “Leavings of the Wolf”.
According to the Prose version of Ragnarok, Tyr is destined to kill and be killed by Garm, the guard dog of Hel.
Elder Futhark Tyr's Eight
| Rune | Name | Letter | Meaning | Divinatory Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
teiwaz | T | Tyr Warrior God | This represents the war god who sacrificed his sword arm to save the other gods and therefore represents sacrifice for a long term goal. It is the battle rune including heroism and victory in it’s meaning. |
|
berkana | B | Birch | Due to the birch’s ability to survive fire and regenerate quickly it is concerned with rebirth, new beginnings and purification. It also covers fertility. |
|
ehwaz | e | Horse | One of man’s closest allies in the animal kingdom this stands for co-operation and progress. It has also been referred to as the goddess stone (i.e. the white mare). |
|
mannaz | M | Man | This is mankind in it’s more general sense but it can also apply as the individual relating to personal destiny or status. |
|
laguz | L | Water | This is the rune of emotions and emotional balance. Water is also linked to intuition and psychic matters. |
|
ing | ng | Ing Fertility God | This refers to Ing the fertility god so it’s primary meaning is fertility, though it’s meaning can be used in a more general sense covering fertility of all kinds e.g.fertile ideas, creativity, etc… |
|
othila | O | A Possession | Seen as the rune of the homestead it is good for all domestic issues. This can also stand for ancestors and inheritance. |
|
daegaz | D | Day(light) | This as daylight suggests brings about clarity, awakening and enlightenment. It suggests a good time for planning and embarking on new projects and that things can be taken at face value. |