can anyone tell me what this runic symbol means?


My friend has just moved into a house and we found this symbol on one of his doors.
I have looked for hours to find a meaning for it and other than the 'Runemaker Group' icon, the closest symbol I've managed to find meant evil!!!!

Not good.

Anyway,
Many thanks for any help you can give me

There is no single runic character anything like this, so it is most probably a bindrune, i.e. a design incorporating two or more runes combined on a single stave.

Interpreting bindrunes is fraught with difficulty as one has no idea what was in the mind of the runester, what extent of runic knowledge they had, or what was their original intention. Bindrune designs frequently have several possible constructions, and that is the case with this one.

the most likely construction is a bindrune of Tiwaz and Othila which could be initials T and O, although if it is supposed to be Othila it is poorly drawn.

Rather than initials it could be a bindrune for the promotion of the runic qualities of the component runes. Tiwaz is for courage and/or justice and Othila is for birthright or inheritance. In this case the runester would have been looking for a legal decision concerning the premises to be resolved in his/her favour.

It could also possibly be Tiwaz with Raido and Raido mirrored which would be itinital T, R and R. Interpretation of the runic qualities in this case would suggest the runester was hoping to promote bravery, courage and/or justice for a traveler. My guess would be it was to help a person of military profession because Tiwaz is the symbol of Tiw, the protective god of warriors.

Like I said, it depends how well-versed the runestar was. In my experience a great number of these modern runic representations are executed by folks with very little expertise and this may be such a case.

Best I can do, hope it helps.

I tend to agree with the other poster here... it looks like Tiwaz and Othila...I'd even go on step further that if it was inscribed on a door it could be protecting all the people with in the room. If you take Tiwaz as the protector and Othila as the home or protected inclosure.

Even with a doubled Raidho that could be procting one's travels..by simply coming or going threw the door. The main thing to remember is that runes themselves are not good or bad (intent of the carver is key.. and they're not there anymore)...my best advice would be to view it as a bindrune for protection ...and give it a new purpose (for the lack of the one we don't know)and put your friend at ease.

Protection of some sort would normally be the obvious reason for a bindrume on a door, but equally obvious would be the use of Algiz for that purpose. But there is no evidence of Algiz in the design without a somewhat contrived interpretation.

I would love to know how you would set about giving the design a new purpose. To the best of my knowledge empowerment has to be carried out at the moment of creation. Is there a way around that?

Yes I agree Algiz would have been a better way to have done a protection..but like you said we don't know this persons experience or experiences. We're just guessing after the fact...

As for changing intent..I agree I maybe standing alone in left field on this..but I strongly believe that over time we can change the meaning of things...Turn a bad to good,(and sadly good to bad) just by reworking it and renaming it for our own purposes... Naive and fluffy bunny you may say...Yes in some respects true.

Haven't other symbols over time been given a new purposes and therefore a new intent the old symbols become either socially acceptable or not acceptable? I could think of a few bindrunes that have happened too...

In turn a new meaning embedded into the social consciousness. Does the old symbol still exist..yes...but the new intent is set and now have taken a stronger hold in the minds of the new vs. the minds of the old...power transformed... Consciousness transformed...Symbols transformed...

Well not sure if I explained my thoughts quite right but I tried...I surely didn't mean to upset you... honestly its just my opinion...and did not mean to offend..my deepest apologize if I did so.

I understand what you're saying, but I can't see it.

A rune has an absolute meaning and a range of interpretation based on that meaning. Because folks want to change their mind about what a rune means doesn't change the meaning, only their perception of it.

Algiz is Algiz and means protection. Tiwaz is Tiwaz and represents Tiw the brave warrior and patron of justice. Just convincing yourself it now means protection might work in the mind, but it won't change the nature of the rune.

Wow, what a wonderful conversation! I'm glad your are not agitated with me... I totally see your point as well... and the very practical side of me wants to concede whole heartedly. But my ethereal being wishes to continue this train of thought...neither of us are persuaded to one side or the other... So an agreeable stalemate of some wonderful exchanges of thought ends in a quiet calm of placid patience...thank you.