Study › Runes & Norse › Algiz
Algiz (ᛉ), also called Elhaz, is the fifteenth rune of the Elder Futhark and the best-known rune of protection. Its name means "elk", and its shape is the elk's raised antlers. Upright, it shields and connects you with higher help; reversed, the shield is down.
Keywords: protection, shielding, divinity, guidance, protégé
What does the Algiz rune mean?
Algiz is the fifteenth rune of the Elder Futhark. It comes after Perthro, and Sowilo comes after it.
Its name, sometimes given as Elhaz, means "elk" — an animal sacred to the ancient Norse. The rune's shape suggests the elk's raised antlers, and from that comes its protective nature. Seen another way, three of its lines reach toward the sky and only one to the ground, a picture of energy descending — divine energy in particular. Some sources also link it to a marsh grass that cuts the hand that grasps and pulls it, another image of protection. In magick Algiz is one of the foremost protective runes, and it is often used to gather and store energy.
Algiz is the great rune of protection. In a spread it can mean that you are shielded — that the situation rests under the protection of higher forces, that it is strong and aligned with the will of the gods. Above all, Algiz is a very strong positive force.
Protection in Norse lore also belongs to Heimdall, the watchman of the gods, and to Thor, the protector of gods and people.
Algiz in a reading
Algiz in love
Upright: A protective partner. Love shields you from harm. A sacred bond. Guided toward the right person. Cared for and watched over.
Reversed: Overprotective or neglectful. Emotional walls. The sacred is forgotten. Misguided choices in love. Left without support.
Algiz and money
Upright: Assets are safe. Insured against loss. Blessed prosperity. Sound financial advice. A patron's support.
Reversed: Assets at risk. Exposed to loss. Blessings withheld. Bad advice. Support withdrawn.
Algiz and health
Upright: Well protected from illness. Strong immunity. Divine healing. Good medical guidance. In safe hands.
Reversed: Vulnerable to illness. Weakened defences. Cut off from healing grace. Poor advice. Left to cope alone.
Algiz on the spiritual path
Upright: Spiritual protection. Shielded from harmful energies. Connection with the divine. Guidance from above. Under higher patronage.
Reversed: Spiritual vulnerability. Open to harmful energies. Disconnected from the divine. Guidance ignored. Feeling abandoned.
Algiz reversed
Reversed, Algiz turns its shield away. Defences fail, guidance feels lost, and the divine feels far off. It asks you to look after your own safety and find your footing again.
Algiz in the rune poems
The rune poems are the oldest sources for the runes' meanings. Here is what each one says of Algiz, first as written, then in English.
Norwegian Rune Poem
Icelandic Rune Poem
Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
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.
Questions
How do you pronounce Algiz?
Say it "AL-giz".
What does the Algiz rune look like?
Algiz (ᛉ) is an upright line with two short arms rising from its middle, like raised antlers or a hand held up.
Is Algiz a protection rune?
Yes. It is the rune most used for protection in rune magick.