Sowilo
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Sowilo (sōwilō), meaning "sun," is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name for the s-rune (ᛊ, ᛋ).
The letter is a direct adoption of the Old Italic (Etruscan or Latin) s (𐌔), which ultimately comes from the Greek sigma (Σ). It appears in the earliest inscriptions from the 2nd to 3rd centuries (Vimose, Kovel).
The name is attested for the same rune in all three rune poems. It appears as Sól in Old Norse and Icelandic and as Sigel in Old English.
Name
The Germanic words for "sun" have the peculiarity of alternating between -l- and -n- stems, Proto-Germanic sunnon (Old English sunne, Old Norse, Old Saxon, and Old High German sunna) vs. sōwilō or sōwulō (Old Norse sól, Gothic sauil, also Old High German forms like suhil). This continues a Proto-Indo-European alternation suwen- vs. sewol- (Avestan xweng, Latin sōl, Greek helios, Sanskrit surya, Welsh haul, Breton heol, Old Irish suil meaning "eye"), a remnant of an archaic so-called "heteroclite" declension pattern that remained productive only in Anatolian languages.
The Old English name of the rune, sigel (/ˈsɪ.jel/), is usually explained as a remnant of an otherwise extinct l-stem variant of the word for "sun" (which means that the spelling with g is not etymological), but alternative proposals have also been made, such as deriving it from the Latin sigillum (assuming the y is instead the unetymological element).
Development and Variants
The s-rune of the Elder Futhark is attested in mainly two variants: one "Σ-form" (four strokes), which is more common in early inscriptions (3rd to 5th century) such as the Kylver stone, and one "S-form" (three strokes), which is more common in later inscriptions (5th to 7th century) like the Gallehus horns, Seeland-II-C.
The Younger Futhark rune Sol and the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc Sigel rune have the same form, a rotated version of the later Elder Futhark rune, where the middle stroke slants upwards and the first and last strokes are vertical.
The Anglo-Saxon runes developed a divergent form (ᚴ), referred to as the "bookhand" s-rune, likely inspired by the long s (ſ) in the insular script. This variant is used in the Futhorc on the Seax of Beagnoth.
Rune Poems
The rune Sowilo is mentioned in all three rune poems:
Rune Poems
Old Norwegian
ᛋ Sól er landa ljóme;
lúti ek helgum dóme.
The sun is the light of the world;
I bow to the divine decree.
Old Icelandic
ᛋ Sól er skýja skjöldr
ok skínandi röðull
ok ísa aldrtregi.
rota siklingr.
The sun is the shield of the clouds
and the shining light
and the destroyer of ice.
Anglo-Saxon
ᛋ Sigel semannum symble biþ on hihte,
ðonne hi hine feriaþ ofer fisces beþ,
oþ hi brimhengest bringeþ to lande.
The sun is always a joy in the hopes of sailors
when they sail over the bath of fishes,
until the steed of the deep brings them to land.
Armanen Runes
The Sig rune in Guido von List's Armanen Futhark corresponds to the Sigel of the Younger Futhark, changing the associated meaning from "sun" to "victory."
It was adopted in 1933 by Walter Heck, an SS official who worked as a graphic designer for the company Ferdinand Hofstätter, a manufacturer of emblems and badges in Bonn. Heck's design, consisting of two Sig runes drawn side by side to resemble lightning bolts, was quickly adopted by all branches of the SS, although Heck himself received only a symbolic payment of 2.5 Reichsmarks for his work. Yenne (2010) suggests a double meaning for the emblem, reminiscent of a "battle cry": "Victory, Victory! (see also Sieg Heil)." Thus, during the Nazi period, the traditional spelling Siegrune was adopted, a regular nominal connection that can be translated as "Victory Rune." The symbol became so ubiquitous that it was often written with runes instead of letters; during the Nazi era, German typewriters were equipped with an extra key to type the double symbol with a single keystroke.
Modern Use
Germanic Neopaganism
The Týr rune is frequently used by Germanic neopagans as a symbol for the worship of the god Týr.
Use in National Socialism and Neo-Nazism
The Týr rune in Guido von List's Armanen Futhark is based on the version found in the Younger Futhark. List's runes were later adopted and modified by Karl Maria Wiligut, who was responsible for their adoption by the Nazis. As a result, they became widespread in Nazi Germany on badges and in literature. It was the badge of the SA (Sturmabteilung), the Reichsführerschulen in Nazi Germany. During World War II, it was used as the insignia of the 32nd SS Volunteer Grenadier Division "30th January."
In Neo-Nazism, it appeared along with the Sowilo rune in the emblem of the Kassel think tank Thule Seminar. It also appeared as the former logo of the Thor Steinar clothing brand, which was banned in Germany due to its similarity to SS officer uniforms, and in the Scandinavian-based Nordic Resistance Movement, which used the symbol on a diamond-shaped flag with stripes (similar to the Hitler Youth flag) in green, white, and black. (It should also be noted that these uses are technically incorrect, as both Thor and Thule are written with the rune Thurisaz, ᚦ). The symbol was one of many Nazi/neo-Nazi and fascist symbols/slogans used by the perpetrator of the Christchurch mosque shooting, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, alongside the Black Sun, the Othala/Odal rune, the Celtic Cross, the Kolovrat swastika, the Fourteen Words, and the Archangel Michael Cross from the pro-Nazi Romanian organisation Iron Guard.
Olympic Games
In 2018, the symbol was used on the uniforms of the Norwegian alpine ski team.
Popular Culture
In Vinland Saga, Thorfinn has two Tiwaz runes carved into his dagger, likely in the same context as in Sigrdrífumál: to achieve victory in battle.
In Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Teiwaz is a mafia-like group representing the Outer Sphere and is the largest conglomerate on Jupiter.