The negative aspects of both are pretty self-evident too brutality, severity, pain, malice, curses, and so on and so forth.Īs a name, Thurisaz certainly has zing - a distinct conversation starter, whether you like it or not.

It can also serve as a warning, or represent an obstacle - a “thorn in the side” which needs to be addressed. It is a strongly masculine rune, of masculine energy and fertility.Īs for Thorn itself, its sharpness too is equated with destruction and defense. Those using the Eldar - and thus *Thurisaz - see it as symbolic of both destruction and protection, conflict and cleansing. The giants do not have a good reputation when it comes to treating women, it seems, while the focus on the thorn is, predictably, on its sharpness, readiness to wound and the discomfort of sitting on one.Įmphasis by modern diviners varies, depending on which Futhark is preferred. In the runic poems, Thorn’s giant and thorny attributes are focused on. Interestingly, þyrs - the Old English equivalent of þurs - was in use throughout the Anglo-Saxon period and passed into Middle English as “thurse,” with the meaning “demon,” “devil” and “goblin.” Why, then, the Anglo-Frisian rune mutated to Thorn is unknown. The Eldar Futhark * þurisaz and Younger Futharks þ urs mean “giant”, while the Anglo-Frisian and Marcomannic connect it with the Old English þorn “thorn.” Like Ur, Thorn has a split-personality, with the different Futharks parting ways. Thorn is the third letter of the Runic alphabet.

Old english font letter thorn