The Viking World: A History in ObjectsMain MenuGallery viewA galleryTag Cloudtag cloud pageThemesA path of thematic categoriesAuthor IndexExplore the collection by authorWorks CitedReferencesAdam Bigelow3afa9c7ecebf516bba6609664b1b12f79c54bf77Caitlin Donahue61b7e986e7c71d400e5c803912ed83c0cf65252fCaroline Harvey1783f21a5882b5b4d3d0b6c174d058052a5ff7eaEdward Hershewee701ef220480b51ca728fc9c719bc094cf813655Martin Hoffmana1fd203afd9a84ee8db567e188cf6ed1d269386eTyler Hruby23493f763b312110686cfafc62578fd0ab5f3833Brittany N. Johnsonc1c1763339f8fa953e3c907c6bb8a3bad0c28b2cCarlos Lua Pineda0a28cc23b0aa00b4f24a9e205aeb57fbdb07ff01Moira McConnell710633400590ea38533ea3412c01fc5056288180Clara McCurdy9aec76477d0b55f9c685c47330d6786ec98182e1Elise McIlhaneyef48481634ff342c8b43c9d56f678b2d3562fb69Cameron Meikle669a5682bfbfd603130a26e25628f24eb07e6295Alexander Christopher Newkirk019c2f5b38c043507251d1789e2fdf47e61c3b7fBenja Reilly816c23aa0d444213fb2d1ef33555a15617e08228Oliver Statenc625ae8c3926f5e1a4268bc91d6a6f4cdb1e7fb6Liam Sullivanaa3a1dccb90c7fe4646b61c4af594abbb0c5574aRead Wilder31bf4715220144a665996f2e6cae80a1a8611eadAliza Yazdanicd49f227d88c72331226ddf574bf56c37308cd10Austin Masonf6137011c68eb792c6e14634815583b15e707dea
Pendant
12017-05-22T00:41:26-07:00Martin Hoffmana1fd203afd9a84ee8db567e188cf6ed1d269386e164562Silver Thor's Hammer Pendant.plain2017-05-22T00:44:39-07:00Boughton, Dot, and Barry Ager. Pendant. Still Image, 2008. LANCUM-ED9222. Portable Antiquities Scheme. https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/211837.800-900LANCUM-ED9222CC BY54.8999624,-3.0068068Still ImagePortable Antiquities SchemeCarlisle, EnglandEARLY MEDIEVALMartin Hoffmana1fd203afd9a84ee8db567e188cf6ed1d269386e
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12017-05-24T10:09:20-07:00Austin Masonf6137011c68eb792c6e14634815583b15e707deaMap ViewAustin Mason2An interactive map of all the objects in the collectiongoogle_maps2017-05-24T11:39:30-07:00Austin Masonf6137011c68eb792c6e14634815583b15e707dea
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12017-05-22T00:46:54-07:00Pendant5object pageplain2017-09-21T17:12:07-07:00This silver hammer pendant is almost certainly an amulet meant to resemble the hammer Mjolnir, fabled weapon of the Norse thunder god Thor. The pendant is broken where a hole was made to allow it to be strung and worn, likely around the neck. The ritual significance would have been akin to wearing a Christian cross. It both signaled to others that an individual ascribed to a certain belief system and it was likely meant to ward away harm from it wearer.
The metal itself is ninety-six percent silver, containing trace amounts of copper lead and gold. The high silver content is undoubtedly a means by which to display the wealth of the owner. Given its similarity to other pendants found in the Danelaw area, it can be roughly dated to the 9th or 10th centuries. Other pendants of this style have been found as far as Iceland and Russia, deposited in all variety of graves.
Since Odin is thought to have been the foremost of the Norse gods, the prevalence of these hammer pendants is intriguing. Odin is frequently depicted as being able to outwit Thor, as in the Lay of Hárbarðr.[1] Odin gives Thor a sound, verbal thrashing in the traditional flyting—a contest of wit that has opponents attempt to cow each other through poetry. Thor’s power and religious clout derives from sources other than intellect, most notably his strength and fighting prowess. Given that warriors were some of the most well-traveled Norsemen, this may be one reason why Thor’s hammer pendants proliferated more than other symbols of Norse worship. In addition, Thor was connected to farmers through his relation with storms and rain, further increasing the god’s ubiquity.