At a glance

• Sound: u
• Place: rune 2 of 24, the second rune of Freyr's aett
• Keywords: strength, vitality, aurochs, wild ox, endurance, courage, will, drizzle, slag, raw power

Lore and history

In the Old English rune poem, Uruz carries the name of the aurochs, the great wild ox whose horns once struck fear across the forests of Europe. The poem praises it as a proud, fierce creature, a beast with great horns that fights with its horns, a well known moor stalker, a creature of courage. In the Old Norwegian and Old Icelandic rune poems, the same rune carries a different name, drizzle or slag, the dross left over from smelted iron, and is spoken of in verses about rain and the forging of metal. Uruz stands second in Elder Futhark, rune 2 of 24. It is the second rune of Freyr's aett, the first of the three aettir (groups), and it carries the sound u.

In a reading

In modern rune practice, Uruz is drawn or cast when we need the raw strength of the aurochs: the push to keep going, the surge of vitality that carries us through a hard season. Many of us feel it as a rune of physical strength and will, a reminder that our bodies and our determination are allies, not obstacles. When Uruz turns up in a casting, it is often read as a sign to trust our own stamina, to move forward with confidence, and to let untamed strength do its work.

Working with Uruz

Some carry Uruz stones or carve it onto talismans when they want to feel steadier, stronger, and more awake in their own power.

A little more

The aurochs, the real wild ox that gave Uruz its name, is not a myth. It was a true species of massive wild cattle that once roamed across Europe, and the last known aurochs died in Poland in 1627.

Keep exploring

• Before it: Fehu
• After it: Thurisaz
• All 24 runes