Odal (rune)

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Name	Proto-Germanic	Anglo-Saxon
	*Ōþalan	Éðel
	"heritage, estate"
Shape	Elder Futhark	Futhorc
Shape
Unicode	ᛟ U+16DF
Transliteration	o	œ
Transcription	o, ō	œ, oe, ōe
IPA	[o(ː)]	[eː], [ø(ː)]
Position in rune-row	23 or 24

The Elder Futhark Odal rune (ᛟ) represents the o sound. Its reconstructed Proto-Germanic name is *ôþalan. The corresponding Gothic letter is 𐍉 o, called oþal. Variations of the name include Othila and Othala. The letter may be derived from a Raetian o letter variant.

The glyph is illustrated here both with and without the optional small serif-like lines at the bottom. The rune is encoded in Unicode at codepoint U+16DF: ᛟ

The term oþal (Old High German uodal) is a formative element in some Germanic names, notably Ulrich and variants. Edmund and other English names with the "ed" prefix (from Old English ead), German Otto and various Germanic names beginning with "od" are also connected to Odal.

1 Futhorc Ethel
2 Scandinavian property law
3 Troll Cross
4 Modern usage
5 References
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Futhorc Ethel

The Odal rune.

A variant of the Odal rune, featuring serifs.

The Odal rune is often associated with property and inheritance, wealth and prosperity. In the Anglo-Saxon rune poem, the name appears as ethel (ēðel). In English runology this letter is sometimes transliterated œ.

ᛟ Eþel byþ oferleof æghwylcum men,

gif he mot ðær rihtes and gerysena on

brucan on bolde bleadum oftast.

An estate is very dear to every man,

if he can enjoy there in his house

whatever is right and proper in constant prosperity.

[edit] Scandinavian property law

Odal was a concept of inheritance in ancient Scandinavian property law. Some of these laws are still in effect today, and govern Norwegian property. These are the Åsetesrett (homestead right), and the Odelsrett (allodial right).

[edit] Troll Cross

The Odal rune may be related to the Troll Cross (Swedish: Trollkors), an odal rune-like symbol made of iron that was used as a pendant on necklaces for women and children or just carved onto valuable objects. According to rural Swedish folklore, it was believed to protect what was precious against trolls and other malevolent forces.

[edit] Modern usage

Bundeswehr Hauptfeldwebel shoulder pads.

[edit] Military Usage

The German Bundeswehr, including the German Army and German Navy, uses a geometrical design reminiscent of the Odal rune as part of its rank insignia. Although the German army has used the symbol in the past, there is no evidence that the modern likeness is intentional.

The Odal rune was the emblem of ethnic Germans (Volksdeutsche) of the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen operating during World War II in the National Socialist Germany-sponsored Independent State of Croatia.

Odal was also the name of a monthly Nazi periodical concerning Blood and Soil.^[1]