The Old Ways

Younger Futhark · Hagall's Ætt

Ár

“Plenty / Good harvest / Good year” · sound A · AWR

What Ár means

The reward of patience and labor — the harvest comes to those who planted and tended faithfully

In the older 24-rune Elder Futhark, Ár corresponds to Jera.

Ár in the rune poems

The Norwegian and Icelandic rune poems are the medieval testimony to the sixteen Younger Futhark runes — the oldest verse describing each stave by name.

Ár er gumna góðe; / get ek at o̧rr var Fróðe.
“Plenty is a blessing to men; I say that Frothi was generous.”
Norwegian Rune Poem (13th c.)
Ár er gumna góði / ok gott sumar / ok algróinn akr.
“Plenty is men's blessing / and good summer / and a fully-grown field.”
Icelandic Rune Poem (15th c.)