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'Algiz', sometimes 'Elhaz', is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name for the rune, representing the Proto-Germanic terminal ''-z'' (from PIE word-final ''
★ -s'').

Contents

Background

Modern usage

Grave epitaphs

Von Listian influence

Germanic neopaganism

References

See also

Background

Like the Ing-rune, Algiz differs from the other runes because it was named acrophonically, since the sound it represents is a suffix. The Proto-Germanic terminal ''z'' (continuing Proto-Indo-European terminal ''s'') became obsolete, and the rune is usually transcribed as ''R'' for Proto-Norse and Old Norse. The sound eventually became the terminal ''-r'' in Old Norse, but its continuation in the ''yr''-rune (see below) shows that there was still a phonemic difference between -''r'' and -''R'' in Old East Norse (the Swedish and Danish dialect of Old Norse) in the 11th century.
The name ''Algiz'' is thought to mean "elk", but the reconstruction is rather uncertain. By the time the rune poems were written, the usage of it was long obsolete and the meaning lost, but in the Gothic alphabet the letter ''z'' is called ''ezec'', which could be cognate to "elk".
A variant of the rune survives in its original shape in the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc runic alphabet, as ''Eolh'', representing a ''χ'' sound. In the Anglo-Saxon rune poem, it is glossed as

''Eolh-secg eard hæfþ oftust on fenne / wexeð on wature, wundaþ grimme / blode breneð beorna gehwylcne / ðe him ænigne onfeng gedeþ.''

"The Eolh-sedge is mostly to be found in a marsh; it grows in the water and makes a ghastly wound, covering with blood every warrior who touches it."

''Eolh-secg'' "elk-sedge" was probably pronounced with a [χ] in sandhi. The reconstructed Proto-Germanic name ''algiz'' "elk", based on the names of Anglo-Saxon ''eolh'' (of the same shape, but with a different sound) and Gothic ''ezec'' (with a different shape but the same sound) is rather tenous, since almost any masculine noun could have been picked in Proto-Germanic to represent the terminal ''z'' sound.
In the Younger Futhark, the rune is continued by ''Yr'' "yew" (not to be confused with the Futhorc Yr rune, .). The shape of the algiz rune is also continued in the Younger Futhark ''Maðr'' ("man"), replacing the Elder Futhark ''Mannaz''.

long-branch-yr	short-twig-yr	Icelandic-yr

Rune	Unicode	HTML
	16E6	5862
	16E7	5863
	16E8	5864

Modern usage

Grave epitaphs

It is common to see Algiz runes on funeral monuments throughout Germany and Europe, especially on the markers of deceased German soldiers. In medieval times this rune was used to signify "life" and inverse it signified "death" ("totenrun" or "todesrune"). An algiz rune will appear before the date of birth and the date of death will have the rune inverse.

Von Listian influence

The ''Madr'' and ''Yr'' runes in Guido von List's Armanen Futharkh were very loosely based on the Younger Futhark. List's runes were later adopted and modified by Karl Maria Wiligut who was responsible for their adoptions by the NSDAP and subsequently used widely on insignia and literature during the Third Reich. Based on this association, the rune is still used by various Neo-Nazi groups like the National Alliance. From the official National Alliance website: "The Life Rune signifies life, creation, birth, rebirth, and renewal. It expresses in a single symbol the raison d’etre of the National Alliance and of the movement of Aryan renewal." [1] The symbol is used throughout the website.

Germanic neopaganism

Various forms of the Algiz rune are commonly used by various Germanic neopagan groups as a symbol of their religion.

References

See also

★ Elder Futhark

★ Younger Futhark

★ Fascist symbolism