
Unicode:
ᛒ
Pronunciation (Proto-Germanic):
BEAR-kah-nah
Phonetic Sound:
“b” as in “birch”
IPA [β]
Translation:
birch tree
Alternative Names
Old Norse, Younger Futhark
bjarkan (ᛒ or ᛓ)
Old English, Futhorc
beorc (ᛒ)
Associated Concepts and Interpretations
Birch
Birth, new beginnings, fertility, family
Clearing away old before beginning anew, purification
Earth mother, female and maternal energies
Growth, healing, nurturing, nourishing
Love, protective, shelter
Rebirth, regeneration, renewal, spiritual reawakening
Rites of passage
Road to the Underworld
Associated Rune POEMS
As translated by Bruce Dickins, 1915; public domain.
Norwegian
Bjarkan er laufgrønstr líma;
Loki bar flærða tíma
Birch has the greenest leaves of any shrub;
Loki was fortunate in his deceit
Icelandic
Bjarkan er laufgat lim
ok lítit tré
ok ungsamligr viðr.
Leafy twig
and little tree
and fresh young shrub
Anglo-Saxon
Beorc byþ bleda leas, bereþ efne swa ðeah
tanas butan tudder, biþ on telgum wlitig,
heah on helme hrysted fægere,
geloden leafum, lyfte geteng
The poplar bears no fruit; yet without seed it brings forth suckers, for it is generated from its leaves.
Splendid are its branches and gloriously adorned
its lofty crown which reaches to the skies
A list of references is available. Audio associated with this rune is a creation of the author’s and is released to the public domain. Attribution is appreciated, but not required for use or distribution of the audio portions of this page.
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