*Haglaz or *Hagalaz is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name of the h-rune , meaning "hail" (the precipitation).
In the Anglo-Saxon futhorc, it is continued as hægl, and, in the Younger Futhark, as hagall. The corresponding Gothic letter is 𐌷 h, named hagl.
The Elder Futhark letter has two variants, single-barred and double-barred . The double-barred variant is found in continental inscriptions, while Scandinavian inscriptions have exclusively the single-barred variant.
The Anglo-Frisian futhorc in early inscriptions has the Scandinavian single-barred variant. From the 7th century, it is replaced by the continental double-barred variant, the first known instances being found on a Harlingen solidus (ca. 575–625), and in the Christogram on St Cuthbert's coffin.
Haglaz is recorded in all three rune poems:
Rune Poem:Original poems and translation from the Rune Poem Page . English Translation: Old Norwegian Hagall er kaldastr korna; Kristr skóp hæimenn forna.Hail is the coldest of grain; Christ created the world of old. Old Icelandic Hagall er kaldakorn ok krapadrífa ok snáka sótt. Hail is cold grain and shower of sleet and sickness of serpents. Old English Hægl bẏþ hƿitust corna; hƿẏrft hit of heofones lẏfte, ƿealcaþ hit ƿindes scura; ƿeorþeþ hit to ƿætere sẏððan.Hail is the whitest of grain; it is whirled from the vault of heaven and is tossed about by gusts of wind and then it melts into water.
See also
Bluetooth Elder Futhark Hagal (Armanen rune) Rune poem
References