ᛈ · sound “p” · Dice cup, the lot
Perthro (ᛈ) is rune 14 of the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark, in Heimdall's aett. Its name means dice cup, the lot.
The cast of the lot: hidden matters, chance and fate come into play. Something not yet revealed may turn out to be a pleasant surprise.
Stagnation or disappointment. Hidden things stay hidden, luck sours, or you are gambling on a hope. Avoid leaving the matter to chance.
Some things cannot be known; act on what you do know.
Perthro is the one Elder Futhark rune whose name nobody can confirm. It is not preserved in the Norse rune poems, and the Old English form peorð is just as obscure. Suggestions include a pear tree, a dice cup, a gaming piece, or a container used for casting lots. The uncertainty is part of why it became the rune of chance, secrets and fate.
Perthro is the rune of what has not yet been revealed: a surprise, a hidden factor, luck, or a matter that depends on things you cannot see. In a reading, ask what is still concealed and whether patience will reveal it. Reversed, it can warn against leaving things to chance.