| The twenty-fourth and final rune and eighth of the Third Aett of the Elder Futhark is called "Othala" or "Odhil". It's sound is "O" as in "old". In the Frisian language, spoken in what is now northeastern Germany and the Netherlands, this rune was called "Eeyeneerde" meaning "own earth" or "own land". This name perfectly defines the rune's meaning of ancestral heritage in the form of family and clan land. In the traditional law of Northern Europe, this land could never be sold. It was eternal property, handed on from generation to generation. With this meaning, Othala's shape represents an enclosure whose contents cannot be taken away. Symbolically, the rune maintains the existing state of things. Othala resists arbitrary rules, preserving individual and collective liberty within the framework of natural law. This is true wealth. The position of Othala at the end of the Elder Futhark reflects Fehu at the beginning. Fehu is wealth that can be traded, while Othala is wealth that cannot be sold. Between them come all other aspects of human life. Othala is more than physical property. It also signifies the cultural and spiritual heritage that we received from our ancestors. It empowers our relationships with other people in our group or family. |