Germanic name: THURISAZ
(Anglo-Saxon: THORN, Old Norse: THURS, Phonetic value: TH)
Traditional meaning: giant
Thurisaz is the third rune in the first aett, and its element is fire. The traditional name of this rune is Thurisaz, which is a very
ancient name for Thor and appears in literature alongside the names Wodenaz and Teiwaz. Thurisaz also means "giant." This has been
preserved in present-day Icelandic, in which the word thurs still means "giant."
Early Christians chose to translate this as "demon," which was their stock method of propaganda against anything which they wished
to eliminate. Thurisaz represents both Thor and the giants. Thor has some characteristics in common with the giants and is certainly
the only one of the Aesir who matches the giants in physical strength. In Northern mythology, the giants represent the forces of chaos,
and Thor is the one who keeps these forces under control. hursiaz is mostly representative of evil, and while this is true it is a
double-edged blade that can easily be turnedon the one who invokes it for evil purposes.
 Germanic name: ANSUZ
(Anglo-Saxon: OS, Old Norse: ASS, Phonetic value: A)
Traditional meaning: A god
This is the fourth rune of the futhark. Whereas Thurisaz represents the forces of chaos, Ansuz represents order, the defenders of
which in our mythology are the Aesir. In Norse cosmology, after the creation of the giant Y mir (chaos ), another being was
created, Buri, who was the ancestor of the Aesir (order). Buri fathered Borr, although it is not mentioned who was Borr's mother. Borr
married Bestla, who was also of the giant race. From this we see that there is a certain amount of integration and cooperation between
the two opposing forces of chaos (giants) and order (Aesir).
The integration of the forces of order and chaos explains why Odin, albeit a god of order, has an element of chaos within him and
tends to use unconventional means to achieve his ends. Ansuz represents consciousness, intelligence, communication, eloquence reason,
and above all the god Odin. |
