Othala Viking Rune Bead: The Realm of the Ancestors
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
Othala, heritage — wealth that does not move
A diamond shape extended by two legs, engraved in an oval cartouche on this beard and hair bead. Othala closes the Elder Futhark and names inherited property: land, home, what is passed down and cannot be taken away.
Find this model in our collection of Viking beard and hair beads.
What sets this beard bead apart
- The exact opposite of Fehu: where the first rune speaks of the herd you drive, the last speaks of the estate that remains.
- It is the rune of rooting and filiation, in a legal sense as much as a sentimental one — the word denotes a hereditary property right.
- A slide-on, not a clasp: the bead slips onto the lock before braiding. It is the thickness of the braid that secures it, so there is nothing that can break.
- Hole of approximately 6 mm: the only criterion that truly matters. It should be slightly narrower than the finished braid, and slightly wider than the loose lock.
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 plait
- Sold: individually
Did you know?
The word survives in the Norwegian odel, which still designates a real right today: the odelsrett allows a descendant to buy back a family farm sold out of the lineage. This is not a folkloric survival but a standing article of law — the only rune of the Futhark whose meaning has crossed a thousand years into a civil code.
To go further, 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 set
What does the Othala rune mean?
Othala means inherited property — the land, the family estate, what is passed down from one generation to the next. It is the last rune of the Elder Futhark.
How is it different from the Fehu rune?
Both are about wealth but they are opposites: Fehu is cattle, wealth that moves; Othala is the estate, wealth that stays and is handed down.
Was this rune used in the Viking Age?
It belongs to the Elder Futhark, which predates the Viking Age. The Younger Futhark did not keep it.
What strand thickness does this bead fit?
A hole of about 6 mm, suited to a beard braid of medium thickness 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.
