Sowilō (rune)
Sowilo, meaning "sun", is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic language name of the s-rune.
The letter is a direct adoption of Old Italic s, ultimately from Greek sigma. It is present in the earliest inscriptions of the 2nd to 3rd century.
The name is attested for the same rune in all three Rune Poems. It appears as Old Norse and Old Icelandic Sól and as Old English Sigel.
Name
The Germanic words for "Sun" have the peculiarity of alternating between -l- and -n- stems, Proto-Germanic *sunnon vs. *sōwilō or *sōwulō. This continues a Proto-Indo-European alternation *suwen- vs. *sewol-, a remnant of an archaic heteroclitic declension pattern that remained productive only in the Anatolian languages.The Old English name of the rune, written sigel is most often explained as a remnant of an otherwise extinct l-stem variant of the word for "Sun", but alternative suggestions have been put forward, such as deriving it from Latin sigillum.
Development and variants
[Image:Evolution of Sowilo rune.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.36|The evolution of the rune in the Elder Futhark during the centuries.]The Elder Futhark s rune is attested in main two variants, a "Σ shape", more prevalent in earlier inscriptions, and an "S shape", more prevalent in later inscriptions.
The Younger Futhark Sol and the Anglo-Saxon futhorc Sigel runes are identical in shape, a rotated version of the later Elder Futhark rune, with the middle stroke slanting upwards, and the initial and final strokes vertical.
The Anglo-Saxon runes developed a variant shape, called the "bookhand" s rune because it is probably inspired by the long s in Insular script. This variant form is used in the futhorc given on the Seax of Beagnoth.
Relationship with Armanen runes
Guido von List used Sowilō as the basis for the Armanen sig rune, also known as the "Siegrune".The Armanen sig rune was adapted into the emblem of the SS in 1933 by Walter Heck.
Heck's design consisted of two sig runes drawn side by side like lightning bolts and was adopted by all branches of the SS.