Rune Lexicon / Tiwaz
Rune

Tiwaz

Rune Tiwaz  ·  Sound value T  ·  Tyrs Ætt

Tyr & Justice

Meaning & Interpretation

Tiwaz is the rune of the sky god Tyr, who sacrificed his hand to bind the wolf Fenrir. It stands for courage, honour, justice and the victory won through righteousness. Where uprightness matters today, it gives you steadfastness – a given word weighs more than an advantage.

Tiwaz upright
Upright
The rune of Tyr. Courage, honour, justice and sacrifice for the greater good – victory through righteousness.
Tiwaz reversed
Reversed / related
Reversed, Tiwaz speaks of fading courage and injustice – a feud that costs you strength. Keep to your word and fight only the battles worth fighting.

Name & Origin

‘Tiwaz’ is the rune of the god Tyr – the old god of sky and war, who stands for law, order and self-sacrifice. The form resembles an upward-pointing arrow or spear.

In the Rune Poem

The Old Norse poem calls ‘Tyr’ the one-handed god and compares him to the guiding star that holds its place in the sky while everything circles around it – an emblem of reliability.

Historical Use

Tyr sacrificed his right hand so that the gods could bind the wolf Fenrir – justice that costs something. Tiwaz was carved on weapons to ask for victory and a just verdict.

Good to Know

‘Tuesday’ bears his name: English ‘Tuesday’, from Tiw/Tyr – as Thursday is from Thor and Wednesday from Woden.