Algiz

Algiz (also Elhaz) is the conventional name for the "z-rune" ᛉ of the Elder Futhark runic alphabet. Its transliteration is z, representing a phoneme in Proto-Germanic, where the terminal *z continues the Proto-Indo-European terminal *s.

It is one of two runes that represent a phoneme not occurring in word-initial position, and therefore could not be given an acrophonic name; the other is the ŋ-rune Ingwaz ᛜ. Since the terminal phoneme *-z marked the nominative singular suffix of masculine nouns, the rune appears relatively frequently in early epigraphy.

Because this specific phoneme was lost early, the Elder Futhark rune underwent changes in medieval runic alphabets. In the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, it retained its form but took on the phonetic value of the Latin x. This is a secondary development, possibly due to the tradition of runic manuscripts, and there is no known instance where the rune was used in an Old English inscription.

In Proto-Norse and Old Norse, the Germanic *z-phoneme developed into an r-sound, possibly realized as a retroflex approximant [ɻ], usually transcribed as ʀ. This sound began to be written as the Yr-Rune ᛦ (the reversed Algiz rune) starting around the 7th century. This phoneme was eventually indistinguishable from the normal r-sound in later stages of Old Norse, around the 11th or 12th century.

The form of the rune could be derived from the letter /x/ in certain ancient Italic alphabets (𐌙), which in turn was derived from the Greek letter Ψ. In the Western Greek alphabet, it represented the sound /kʰ/ (instead of /ps/).

Name

The Elder Futhark rune ᛉ is commonly called Algiz or Elhaz, derived from the Germanic word for "elk."

There is widespread agreement that this is most likely not the historical name of the rune, but in the absence of definitive evidence for the historical name, the conventional name is based simply on a reading of the rune's name in the Anglo-Saxon runic poem, which was first proposed by Wilhelm Grimm (Über deutsche Runen, 1821) as eolh or eolug, meaning "elk."

Like the ng-Rune, the z-rune is a special case, as it could not be named acrophonically because the sound it represents did not occur in word-initial position. The choice of a name ending in -z would have been somewhat arbitrary since this was the nominative singular suffix for almost all masculine nouns in the language. Since the name eolh or more specifically eolh-secg ("elk-sedge") in the Anglo-Saxon runic poem does not reflect the original phonetic value of the rune but rather the value of the Latin x (/ks/), it seems arbitrary to suggest that the original rune should have been named after the elk.

Elder Futhark

In the Elder Futhark, Algiz represents the Germanic phoneme z, which did not occur in word-initial position.

It is attested in the earliest inscriptions in final position, such as in ansuz (Vimose buckle) and þewaz (Thorsberg chape). It was probably also present in the inscription on the spearhead from Øvre Stabu (ca. 180 AD), where it reads raunija[z], but it is hardly legible today. The Nydam axe handle (4th century) carries the name wagagastiz. The Golden Horns of Gallehus (early 5th century) carried the personal name hlewagastiz holtijaz.

Anglo-Saxon Futhorc

The name of the Anglo-Saxon rune ᛉ is given in several forms: eolx, ilcs, ilix, elux, eolhx. The manuscript tradition provides its phonetic value as the Latin x (/ks/), or alternatively as il, or as "l and x." The corresponding stanza of the Anglo-Saxon runic poem reads:

ᛉ sec[g e]ard hæfþ oftust on fenne / ƿexeð on ƿature, ƿundaþ grimme / blode breneð beorna gehƿylcne / ðe him ænigne onfeng gedeþ.

If the rune is read as eolhx (as discussed above) and with Wilhelm Grimm's (1821) emendation from seccard to secg eard, the stanza refers to a species of rush (Cladium mariscus) called "elk-rush." In Page's (1999) translation:

The elk-rush lives commonly in the moor, / It grows in water. It causes grievous wounds, / And stains any man with blood / Who grasps at it.

Modern Use

"Life Rune" and "Death Rune" The runes Man and Yr in Guido von List's Armanen Futhark were based on the Younger Futhark. List's runes were later adopted and modified by Karl Maria Wiligut, who was responsible for their integration into Nazi occultism. Both List and Wiligut have an "Yr" rune, which has the same form as the Yr-Rune of the Younger Futhark.

In this context, the Man rune (identical to the Algiz rune of the Elder Futhark) was understood in early 20th-century Germanic mysticism as a symbol for "life" and was referred to as the "Life Rune." This term appeared as early as the 1920s in Germanic mysticism literature and was widely adopted by the NSDAP and Nazi Germany, including in official regulations for various SA (Sturmabteilung) uniforms.

During World War II, these two runes (ᛉ for "born," ᛦ for "dead") were used in obituaries and on gravestones to mark birth and death dates, replacing the commonly used star and cross symbols (* for "born," ✝ for "dead") in Germany. This connection was always understood to be a modern esoteric innovation, with no direct predecessor in medieval usage of the Younger Futhark alphabet.

After 1945, the term "Life Rune" continued to be used by völkisch nationalist groups. Contemporary examples include its use by the American National Alliance (since 2007), and, inspired by the Algiz rune, in the logo of the Flemish nationalist Voorpost as levensrune (since 2016).

The term "Death Rune" was used in connection with esoteric or occult aesthetics related to Black Metal, particularly in the name of Deathrune Records (since 2011), formerly Die Todesrune Records, a small black metal label.

Pop Culture

According to Ralph Blum (1982), the Algiz rune in some modern systems of rune divination is given the meaning "protection." Blum (1982) glosses Algiz as "protection; bulrushes or sedges; an elk."