thurisaz ᚦ

Unicode: ᚦ

Pronunciation:

THOOR-ee-sahz (Proto-Germanic)

Alternative names:

Thurs / Þurs (Old Norse, Younger Futhark)

Thorn / Þorn (Old English, Futhorc)

Translation:

giant or thorn

Sound:

“TH” as in “thorn”

Associated Concepts and Interpretations

Balance

Catalyst, transformation

Challenge or turmoil

Contemplation

Destruction, disruption

Earth, chthonic

Lightning, primal power, unstructured natural forces

Might, potency, strength

Pain or discomfort (with purpose)

Protection, resistance to danger, warning

Regeneration

The unconscious or irrational

Varðrúnar (“warding rune”)

Woman’s health and 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: 21 nov 2022

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.