
Pronunciation: THOOR-ee-sahz
Alternative names: Thorn, Thurs, Thor
Translation: thorn, giant, Thor
Sound: “TH” as in “thorn”
Associated Concepts and Interpretations
Balance/a return to balance
Catalyst/transformation arising from chaos
Contemplation
Destruction/breaking down barriers
Disruption
Earth
Facing challenge/turmoil
Jotnar (the Giants/Thursis)
Lightning
Might/strength
Pain/discomfort with purpose
Potency
Primal power/unstructured natural forces
Protection/resistance to danger
Regeneration
Thor (the god, the “Giant Slayer”)
The unconscious/irrational/chthonic
Varðrúnar (“warding rune”)
Warning
Woman’s health/fertility
Associated Rune Poems
(as translated by Bruce Dickins, 1915; public domain)
A number of interpretations are derived from the various runic poems and those associated with this rune (where available) are included below for further consideration.
Norwegian:
ᚦ Þurs vældr kvinna kvillu;
kátr værðr fár af illu
ᚦ Thurs
Giant causes anguish to women;
misfortune makes few men cheerful
Icelandic:
ᚦ Þurs er kvenna kvöl
ok kletta búi
ok varðrúnar verr.
Saturnus þengill
Thurs - Giant
Torture of women
and cliff-dweller
and husband of a giantess
Anglo-Saxon:
ᚦ Ðorn byþ ðearle scearp; ðegna gehwylcum
anfeng ys yfyl, ungemetum reþe
manna gehwelcum, ðe him mid resteð
Thorn
The thorn is exceedingly sharp,
an evil thing for any knight to touch,
uncommonly severe on all who sit among them.
last updated: 20 dec 2021
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. Back-linking and attribution are appreciated, but not required, for use.
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