Thor's Hammer Pendant
The shaft of the pendant seems to have been heavily manipulated during the pendant’s life. Cracks have formed on the shaft from it having been bent back on itself, apparently in an attempt to form a loop on which a string could be attached. However, the head of the pendant itself shows little wear besides file marks on the faces of the hammer head.
The simple make of these types of pendants, their widespread placement, and fact that they have been found buried with both men and women suggest that they may have served as religious objects for ordinary people. Much like how Christians often wear crucifixes on necklaces, a Norse person may have worn this pendant as a devotional piece or even as an amulet to ward off evil. Unfortunately, the imprecise dating makes it difficult to say if this pendant was found before or after most Scandinavians in the Danelaw converted to Christianity. If it was made after, it may indicate a Scandinavian refusing to convert to the new dominant religion. Either way, the presence of the iconic image of Mjölnir in England supports the claims that the Scandinavians were pagan and illustrates how they brought their religion with them to the lands they conquered and settled.[2]
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