A One-Handed God
Tiwaz has been called the optimistic rune.
Tiwaz is the name of this Elder Futhark rune. Its arrow shape has remained constant over the centuries while other runes changed their form as well as pronunciation. From its arrow shape we don’t need further explanation for the forceful character of this rune, but it is one of the runes with the most historical and literary connotation on record.
Tiwaz is named after the Norse god Tyr, the proto-Germanic god of war, victory and justice, and in the ancient pantheon of Nordic and Germanic deities was the highest ranked before Odin was given that supreme spot.
The Anglo-Saxon rune poem for Tiwaz goes like this:
Tyr is a guiding star; well does it keep faith with princes;
it is ever on its course over the mists of night and never fails.
From this text one gets the sense that Tyr is trustworthy, true, and courageous, deserving the aura of optimism that surrounded a prayer to this deity.
The text of the Norwegian rune poem is straightforward:
Tyr is a one-handed god;
often has the smith to blow.
I…