Viking Rune Bead Algiz: The Cutting Reed
Specifications
| Color | Bronze |
| Material | Zinc alloy, patinated bronze finish |
| Dimensions | Height: 10 mm | Diameter: 8 mm | Hole: 6 mm |
| For | Unisex |
- For: men and women (adults)
- Zinc alloy, patinated bronze finish
- 6 mm hole · worn on a beard or hair braid
- Sold individually, height 10 mm, diameter 8 mm
- Free shipping from 49€ · secure payment
Algiz — the rune said to be "for protection," and what the source really says
A shaft topped with three branches open upwards, engraved in a cartouche on a beard and hair bead made of patinated bronze. Algiz is the most requested rune of the Elder Futhark after the Vegvísir — and one of the most misquoted.
Find this model in our collection of Viking beard and hair beads.
What sets this beard bead apart
- A design open at the top, often read as a raised hand or elk antlers — two modern images, but which explain its popularity.
- The sign is reversible: upside down, it becomes a distinct symbol that manuals call Yr in the Younger Futhark.
- A slider, not a clasp: the bead slides onto the lock of hair before braiding. It is the thickness of the braid that holds it in place, so there is nothing to break.
- Approximately 6 mm bore: the only criterion that really matters. It must be slightly narrower than the finished braid, and slightly wider than the loose lock of hair.
Specifications
- Material: Zinc alloy, patinated bronze finish
- Inner hole: approximately 6 mm
- Dimensions: approximately 10 mm high, 8 mm in diameter
- Wear: beard, mustache, or hair, on a braided plait
- Sold: individually
Did you know?
The only ancient source that comments on it, the Anglo-Saxon rune poem, speaks of neither protection nor elk: it describes eolh-secg, the sedge (marsh grass), a plant "which grows most often in water, burns the blood, and wounds cruelly any man who grasps it." It is not a shield, it is a vegetal weapon. The protective interpretation, very widespread today, comes from 20th-century esotericists and not from the texts; the idea remains beautiful, but it does not date back to the Viking Age.
To learn more, our Viking hairstyle guide details cuts, braids, and beards, with sources to support them, and our Futhark alphabet guide covers each sign one by one.
Complete your set
Is Algiz really the rune of protection?
Not in the sources. The only rune poem that comments on it describes a marsh sedge that wounds the hand that grabs it. The protective reading is a 20th-century interpretation.
What does its shape represent?
People commonly see a raised hand or elk antlers in it, but these are modern readings. The name that has come down to us refers to a marsh plant with sharp edges.
Why is this rune so popular?
Its upward-opening shape immediately reads as a gesture of defense, and modern esotericism has given it that meaning. Today it is one of the most tattooed runes.
What braid thickness does this bead fit?
A hole of about 6 mm, suited to a medium-thick beard braid or a thin braid of hair.
Delivery — Allow 7 to 15 business days for mainland France, 10 to 20 days for the European Union. Free delivery on orders over €49.
Delivery guarantee — If your parcel is not delivered within 60 business days, we will provide an immediate reshipment or a full refund.
14-day returns — You have 14 calendar days from receipt to request an exchange or refund. The item must be returned within this period, in its original packaging.
Legal guarantees — All our products are covered by the legal guarantee of conformity and the guarantee against hidden defects, in accordance with the Consumer Code and the Civil Code.
