ᛟ · sound “o” · Heritage, estate
Othala (ᛟ) is rune 24 of the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark, in Tyr's aett. Its name means heritage, estate.
Heritage: home, family, property and what has come down to you. Roots and shared values give you a base to stand on.
Loss of home or roots. Inherited habits, prejudices or family quarrels hold you back. It may be time to let go of a tradition that no longer serves you.
Honor your roots without being bound by them.
Othala is heritage, meaning an estate or inheritance that passes down a family. It is related to the Germanic root behind words for noble, such as German edel. In the Elder Futhark the shape is a diamond on two legs, and in the later Anglo-Saxon alphabet it was called éðel. In the usual order it is the last of the twenty-four runes.
Othala asks what you have inherited and what you owe to it: home, family, property, tradition, or a place where you belong. In a reading it can mean roots, stability or a legacy. Reversed, it points to losing a home, family conflict, or a tradition that is holding you back.