Viking Rune Bead Kaunaz: the Torch or the Wound
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
Kaunaz — the only rune with two traditions giving opposite meanings
A simple angle opening to the right, engraved in an oval cartouche on a beard and hair bead made of patinated bronze. The design is the most economical of the Elder Futhark after Isa; its meaning, however, is the most contested of the entire alphabet.
Find this model in our collection of Viking beard and hair beads.
What sets this beard bead apart
- Among the Anglo-Saxons, cēn: the torch, "known to all living by its clear flame." Among the Norwegians and Icelanders, kaun: the ulcer, the festering wound.
- Two irreconcilable interpretations for the same sign — it is the rune to choose when you like things to have two sides.
- Slide-on, not a clasp: the bead slides onto the lock of hair before braiding. The fullness of the braid holds it in place, so there is nothing that can break.
- Hole of approximately 6 mm: the only criterion that really decides. It should 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 in height, 8 mm in diameter
- Wear: beard, mustache, or hair, on a braided lock
- Sold: individually
Did you know?
The disagreement is not a copyist's error: both words truly exist, and each tradition kept its own. The Anglo-Saxon poem speaks of a torch that burns "where princes sit"; the Scandinavian poems speak of a canker, and the Norwegian adds that "misfortune makes a man pale." That the same sign carried light on one side of the North Sea and disease on the other says a lot about the caution one should exercise with any list of "rune meanings" that does not indicate its source.
To learn more, our Viking hairstyle guide details cuts, braids, and beards, with sources provided, and our Futhark alphabet guide covers each sign one by one.
Complete your collection
What does the Kaunaz rune mean?
It depends on the tradition: the Anglo-Saxon rune poem reads it as cēn, the torch; the Norwegian and Icelandic poems read it as kaun, the ulcer. Both readings are attested.
Is it called Kaunaz, Kenaz or Kano?
Kaunaz follows the Scandinavian form, Kenaz the Anglo-Saxon form. Kano is a modern reconstruction. They're all the same sign, the sixth of the Elder Futhark.
Which meaning should I go by when wearing it?
No source settles it. Both meanings hold up, and that's precisely what makes the sign interesting: the flame that gives light and the burn that leaves a mark share the same shape.
What braid thickness does this bead fit?
A hole of about 6 mm, suited to a beard braid of medium density 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.
