Silver Mjolnir Pendant
The hammer shape represents mjolnir, or Thor’s hammer. Thor was the most popular god of the norse people, and was believed to control thunder, wind, rain, sun, and crops, therefore playing a central role in Scandinavian life.[2] He also defended Asgard, home of the gods, from the giants of Jötunheim, leading him to also be seen as a god of law and order and a protector from chaos.[3] The latter role lead to him frequently being invoked to consecrate or protect runes. One example of this can be found on the Sønder Kirkeby runestone, in which the words “Sassur placed this stone in memory of Ásgautr, his brother, but he died in Gotland. May Thor hallow the runes” are inscribed.[4]
With Thor being so important in the daily lives of the norse, it is no surprise that amulets in the shape of Thor’s hammer were often found in graves, or placed over cremated remains.[5] The amulets were also popular to wear, perhaps as a show of faith, or as a sign of protection. Some theories say that when Christian missionaries started coming to Scandinavia some norse people wore the hammer as an act of defiance, in stark contrast to the crosses Christians often wore around their own necks.[6] Some people potentially even wore both types of amulets, and the popularity of both cross and hammer pendants can be seen in that many blacksmiths had the tools to produce both types of pendant.[7]
The prevalence of these amulets, which can be found in varying degrees of quality and richness, shows how prevalent religion was in the daily lives of the norse people. They relied on gods such as Thor to bring them good harvests, and protect law and order, much the same as other people did with their own gods.
