Wolfsangel or Crampon is a heraldic charge in countries like Germany, the Netherlands and eastern France, which was inspired by medieval European wolf traps that consisted of a Z-shaped metal hook that was hung by a chain from a crescent-shaped metal bar. The stylized symbol of the Z-shape can include a central horizontal bar to give a Ƶ-symbol, which can be reversed and/or rotated; it is sometimes mistaken as being an ancient rune due to its similarity to the "gibor rune" of the pseudo Armanen runes.
8th century wolf hook from the Carolingian era Villa Arnesburg, in Lich, Germany
Reconstruction of a wolf hook (Z-shape) chained to a wolf anchor (crescent bar)
1299 seal of Countess Udilhild, née von Wolfach
Horizontal Wolfsangel as a mason's mark, 15-century church
Armanen runes are 18 pseudo-runes, inspired by the historic Younger Futhark runes, invented by Austrian mysticist and Germanic revivalist Guido von List during a state of temporary blindness in 1902, and described in his Das Geheimnis der Runen, published as a periodical article in 1906, and as a standalone publication in 1908. The name seeks to associate the runes with the postulated Armanen, whom von List saw as ancient Aryan priest-kings. The runes continue in use today in esotericism and in Germanic neopaganism.
Armanen runes and their transcriptions
Cover of the new German reprint published by Adolf Schleipfer
