Younger Futhark · Týr's Ætt
Maðr
“Human being / Man” · sound M · MATH-r
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What Maðr means
Humanity in its fullness — joy and sorrow, community and solitude, the dust from which Askr and Embla were made
In the older 24-rune Elder Futhark, Maðr corresponds to Mannaz.
Maðr 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.
Maðr er moldar auki; / mikil er græip á hauki.
“Man is the increase of dust; great is the hawk's claw.”
Maðr er manns gaman / ok moldar auki / ok skipa skreytir.
“Man is man's delight / and the increase of dust / and the adorner of ships.”