Among the runes of the Elder Futhark, Perthro stands out as one of the most mysterious and debated. Unlike many runes whose meanings are relatively well-attested, Perthro’s semantic field is uncertain and speculative. Scholars and rune-practitioners alike regard it as a symbol of hidden forces, chance, fate, and initiation. In this essay, I will examine what is known (and unknown) about Perthro: its linguistic and historical attestations, its graphic form, its esoteric interpretations, and how it functions in divinatory or symbolic practice. My aim is not to present a definitive “true meaning” (for there is none universally agreed) but rather to trace the discourse and possibilities surrounding this intriguing rune.  

Perthro is the 14th rune in the standard 24-rune Elder Futhark sequence (and the 6th rune of the second aett) . In the Gothic and Old English rune tables, it appears as pertra or peorð . Its reconstructed Proto-Germanic name is often given as Perthō or Peurðō, but the etymology is debated. 

In Old Norse and later Scandinavian, the rune does not regularly appear in the Younger Futhark; indeed, the p sound becomes rarer in Nordic phonology, so Perthro is among the runes effectively lost (or merged) in many later rune sets . 

Because Perthro’s name is preserved only in a few runic lists and rune poems, the meaning of the name itself is elusive. Some scholars propose a connection to pear or a fruit tree (Old English peorð perhaps related to pear), suggesting a meaning along the lines of “fruit-tree” or “pear tree / orchard” as a poetic name . Others argue that this etymology is weak and that perthro may have been already obscure to the rune poets, so its meaning was metaphorical or symbolic rather than literal. Edred Thorsson and other modern rune theorists tend to interpret it as a “lot-cup” or container used in divination, rather than a tree or fruit, based on how runes were cast or gambled with in Germanic cultures  . The Latin and Gothic records give little further help; pertra in the Gothic alphabet is simply used for the p sound, and we lack external attestations linking the name to a clear Proto-Germanic root beyond speculation .  

Graphically, Perthro is usually drawn as a vertical stave with two small projecting “arms” or branches on one side: one near the top angled downward, and one near the bottom angled upward (somewhat like a backward K grafted onto a vertical line). There are vriant forms in inscriptions, but the essential structure is relatively consistent in modern renderings. Because of its obscure name and meaning, many symbolic interpretations of Perthro begin from its shape. Some see the branching arms as suggestive of a container or receptacle (a “cup” or vessel), thus reinforcing the idea of it as a lot-cup or casting vessel in divination. Others read it as a kind of opening or portal, hinting at hidden realms or thresholds to the unknown. In more esoteric systems, Perthro is also associated with the void or the womb: an unseen space from which potentials emerge or are gestated, echoing the idea of latent possibility.  

Because there is no consensus, Perthro is a “flexible” rune in symbolic systems. However, several recurring themes appear in modern rune literature and neo-pagan or runic practice. I will survey some of these major interpretive threads. 

One of the most common associations is with chance, fate, and the unknown. Perthro is often described as the rune of what is hidden, of what is yet to be revealed, or of forces operating behind the surface of awareness  In runic divination, drawing Perthro may signal that the outcome is not yet determined, that hidden factors are at play, or that events will unfold in unexpected ways  In this sense, it often acts as a mirror of human experience: situations where we sense there is more beneath the surface, where we must trust unfolding processes, where we must wait for revelation or clarity. 

A particularly vivid and recurrent image is that of the dice cup or casting lots. In antiquity and in folk practices, divination by casting lots (throwing marked objects, dice, bones etc.) was a way to allow random or semi-random processes to reveal hidden will or guidance. Many rune readers imagine Perthro as the “cup” within which the lot is cast, or as the container that holds unknown possibilities until they emerge  Therefore, Perthro is sometimes called the “lot rune,” the vessel rune, or the die-cup rune. In the metaphor, the cup hides the dice (i.e. the potential outcomes) until the moment of revelation. 

Another line of interpretation treats Perthro as a symbol of initiation, rebirth, or hidden origin. Because it suggests a space of potential before form, some writers associate it with embryonic stages, hidden gestation, or inner transformation that has not yet fully come into being  In this reading, Perthro can represent the moment before emergence — the darkness before birth — or the threshold between invisibility and manifestation. Some systems even link it to the womb metaphorically, as the place where the seed is held until it ripens and emerges — thus it embodies mystery, latent potential, and the process of becoming. 

In Germanic cosmology, the concept of wyrd or orlog refers to destiny, fate, or the cosmic web of cause and effect. Some rune practitioners see Perthro as intimately tied to this notion: it is the rune of weaving fate, of the unseen threads binding events, of the memory or template behind reality  Edred Thorsson, for example, views it as a rune of fate’s mysteries, governing synchronicity and the archetypal causality that underlies phenomena. In this manner, Perthro is sometimes considered the “rune of the runes” — a rune that gestures toward the deep, hidden logic behind the runic system and the cosmos itself. 

Because it points to what is hidden, Perthro often occupies the liminal zone between consciousness and unconsciousness, between what is known and what is unknown. It invites the revelation of secrets, insights, or unconscious material into awareness. In this light, drawing Perthro might indicate that one must explore internal shadows, seek the hidden meaning behind events, or remain open to revelation. Some interpret its reversal (if using vertical orientation or reversed runic reading) as warning that one is resisting insight, suppressing hidden truths, or unwilling to confront what lies beneath the surface.  

In practical rune reading and divination, Perthro is used with caution, given its ambiguity. Here are common ways it is used, and what it may suggest:  

• As a sign of hidden forces: drawing Perthro might indicate that integral factors are not yet visible; one must wait, observe, or be patient. 
• As a call to trust unfolding events: since outcomes may be unsettled, one is invited to trust in the process rather than force control. 
• Warning of unforeseen change: because of uncertainty, drawing Perthro may imply surprises, reversals, or unexpected turns. 
• Symbol of initiation or threshold: it can signal that one is entering a period of transformation, where something new will emerge. 
• Indicator of prophecy or insight: in some traditions, Perthro suggests the emergence of intuitive knowledge or revelation. 

When combined with surrounding runes, Perthro’s meaning is often modulated or clarified by context. For example, if flanked by runes of knowledge or insight, it may suggest revelation; if by runes of conflict or challenge, it may suggest unpredictable danger or unexpected twists.  

Because Perthro lacks strong early attestations and its name is obscure, scholars and serious runologists often caution about overreliance on speculative meanings. Some problems include:  

• Lack of firm historical evidence: There is no ancient rune poem that clearly defines Perthro’s meaning, unlike many other runes. Thus, much of modern meaning is post-factum construction. 
• Etymological uncertainty: The proposed “pear tree / fruit tree” derivation is plausible but not compelling; many rune scholars consider it speculative. 
• Overinterpretation risk: Given its ambiguity, there is a danger of projecting modern esoteric meanings (e.g. Freudian, Jungian) onto Perthro without historical grounding. 
• Cultural anachronism: Some symbolic readings (especially those tying Perthro to Eastern metaphysics, chakras, etc.) drift far from the rune’s Germanic cultural context. 
• Interpretative pluralism: Because many rune authors ascribe different or even contradictory meanings to Perthro (e.g. death vs birth, mystery vs revelation), users must accept ambiguity and multiplicity.