Tyr's Aett · Rune 19
Ehwaz
“Horse, Partnership” · sound: E
Keywords
horse · partnership · trust · movement · loyalty · cooperation · progress · teamwork
What Ehwaz means
Ehwaz is the rune of the horse, representing the sacred bond between horse and rider, and by extension all forms of loyal partnership and cooperative movement. In Norse culture, the horse was revered as a noble companion and was closely associated with the gods, from Odin's eight-legged Sleipnir to Freyr's Blodughoft. Ehwaz embodies trust, mutual dependence, and the forward progress that comes through harmonious cooperation. In Heathen practice, this rune speaks to partnerships, marriage, and any endeavor where two beings move together toward a shared goal.
Ehwaz in the historical rune poems
Three medieval poems preserve the meanings of the runes — the oldest testimony we have.
The horse is a joy to princes in the presence of warriors. A steed in the pride of its hoofs, when rich men on horseback bandy words about it; and it is ever a source of comfort to the restless.
Correspondences
Deities
Freyr · Odin
Element
earth
Color
white