uruz ᚢ

Unicode: ᚢ

Pronunciation:

OO-rooz (Proto-Germanic)

Alternative names:

Úr (Old Norse, Younger Futhark)

Ūr (Old English, Futhorc)

Translation:

aurochs (wild ox)

Sound:

“U” as in “rune” (“oo”)

Associated Concepts and Interpretations

Challenge, stubbornness, tenacity, testing limits, trial

Confidence, courage

Creative forces

Earth or water

Endurance, health, vitality

Energy, power, spirit, strength

Initiation, rites of passage

Potential (wild or untamed)

Primordial

Rain, drizzle

Slag, dross

Transformation in liminal space

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:

ᚢ Úr er af illu jarne;
opt løypr ræinn á hjarne

ᚢ Ur
Dross comes from bad iron;
the reindeer often races over the frozen snow

Icelandic:

ᚢ Úr er skýja grátr
   ok skára þverrir
   ok hirðis hatr.
   umbre vísi

   Úr - Shower
   Lamentation of the clouds
   and ruin of the hay-harvest
   and abomination of the shepherd

Anglo-Saxon:

ᚢ Ur byþ anmod ond oferhyrned,
   felafrecne deor, feohteþ mid hornum
   mære morstapa; þæt is modig wuht

Ur 
The aurochs is proud and has great horns;
it is a very savage beast and fights with its horns;
a great ranger of the moors, it is a creature of mettle

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.