What is known about the mysterious amulets found throughout Scandinavia

Throughout the Scandinavian world, archaeologists have found artifacts made of metal and amber in the shape of the capital letter “T.” These mysterious objects became known as Mjolnir amulets. All of them, in one way or another, shed light on Scandinavian beliefs, the pantheon, and the cult of Thor, as well as their functions and significance in the Viking Age.

The Scandinavian Pantheon

Popular culture led to Asgard, where Odin ruled as the head of a mythological family. Runestones and sagas depict the gods of Asgard in mortal forms, although they possess supernatural powers. One-eyed Odin ruled Valhalla as the head of the family and the god of war and death. The Vikings paid homage to him with funeral paraphernalia and sacrifices.

They also depicted the central deity on runestones and other artifacts, such as clothespins. Asgard was also home to the werewolf Loki, a deceitful deity who deceived giants and other gods. The twins Frey and Freya also played an important role in Asgard. Frey was the god of fertility and good harvest, while Freya was responsible for love and fertility.

Together with Odin’s assistants, the Valkyries, these gods, according to the sagas, ruled the mythical worlds and the worlds of mortals. Visit, A F R I N I K . C O M . For the full article. And even though many of them remain immortalized as English days of the week (Odin = Wednesday, Thor = Thursday, Frey = Friday), none was and is more popular than Odin’s son, Thor.

Much of what is known about the Scandinavian pantheon comes from the writings of the Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson and the Prose Edda, which were written centuries after the Viking age.

Thor

In Scandinavian mythology, Thor was the son of Odin and the god of war and fertility. His distinguishing features were the invention of thunder and lightning and his penchant for crossing clouds in a chariot pulled by goats. He also possessed unparalleled physical strength, and in material terms, his most famous accessory was the magic hammer Mjolnir.

Thor’s mighty hammer came in handy when fighting the giants of Jotunheim, who were constantly trying to sow disorder in the mortal world of Midgard. Thor often found himself at odds with the giants. Thanks to his cunning and physical prowess, Odin’s son became the most popular god of the Scandinavian pantheon, with whom the average Viking could get along.

The creation and cult of Mjolnir

According to the Sagas, Thor should thank Loki for Mjolnir, as he convinced or deceived the sons of the dwarf Ivaldi to create some of the most famous items for the Aces. This is how Frey’s ship, Skidbladner, and his magical boar, gullinbursti, appeared. They made Odin’s spear Gungnir, the ring Draupnir, and a golden headdress for Sif. Dwarves Brokkr and Sindri forged Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, which he wore around his neck.

With the help of the dwarves’ magic touch, Thor could wield Mjolnir as hard as he pleased, and the hammer never broke and always fulfilled its purpose. Thor could throw the hammer anywhere, and it always hit the target. And finally, no matter where Thor threw his hammer, it always returned to his hand.

The Vikings reproduced Thor’s hammer in many forms. Archaeologists have found iron, lead, silver, gold, and amber T-shaped pendants from all over the Viking world. Sometimes, these pendants are simple. In other cases, the amulets have embossed markings or are inlaid with ink. The pendants were discovered during excavations of graves, treasures, houses, and cities throughout Scandinavia, Iceland, England, Ireland, and Russia. Mjolnir has also been engraved on runestones, vessels, ceramics, and coins.

Iron rings containing Thor’s hammer have also been found in cremation burials. Archaeologists have discovered a mold that could have been used to cast Thor’s hammers in Jutland, Denmark. Given the large number of Mjolnir in archaeological sources, the Vikings must have devoted some time to making these tiny hammers. By creating a mini-Mjolnir, the Vikings revered Thor and revived unique religious and ethnic symbols of identity.

Although Mjolnir was worn as necklaces and bracelets, finds in graves such as that of the warrior Repton suggest that they were amulets, not just jewelry. Miniature hammers date back to the Viking Age and have been found in England and Scandinavia.

In mythology, Thor’s hammer protected the mortals of Midgard and those who crossed over to Valhalla. At Viking age weddings, Mjolnir served as a symbol of fertility. Archaeologists have found more Thor’s hammers in women’s graves than in men’s graves, leading some to argue that the amulet performed an important fertility function throughout the woman’s life and after her death.

Thor’s hammer may also have protected those who carried it, as god was associated with power. In the volatile world of medieval Scandinavia, people could benefit from protection from political uprisings, climate change, and military action. The archaeologists also found Thor’s hammer next to Christian crosses, suggesting that some people used protection wherever they could get it.

Amulets with Thor’s hammer were not always worn on the body. In Tissot in Denmark, archaeologists discovered what had been interpreted as a cult center. The Scandinavians have been gathering here for centuries, rebuilding and evolving. For many years, the main hall has remained the center of attention.

In sediments dating back to the ninth and tenth centuries AD, archaeologists have found twenty-five Mjolnir next to the statuettes of Odin and Thor. The Hammer of Thor amulets served as votive offerings and items worn at home and abroad.

Thor’s Hammer at the Intersection of Beliefs

It was around 965 AD when Harald the Blue-Toothed, King of Denmark, held a feast. One of his guests was the Christian priest Poppo, who was determined to convert the Viking leader to Christianity. Unconvinced, Harald struck a deal. If a priest could prove that the Christian god was more potent than the Scandinavian gods, he would convert to Christianity.

Poppo took a red-hot iron in both hands and walked around the king. When he finished, his hands were intact, and Bluetooth was surprised and had no choice but to accept the faith (at least that’s what the story says). However, the Christianization of medieval Scandinavia was a slower process, and the new religion was accepted throughout the region without much enthusiasm.

Several amulets with Thor’s hammer and cross-shaped impact marks were found. Some scholars consider these cross signs as evidence of a fusion of Scandinavian pagan and Christian symbols. Others suggest that the presence of Thor’s hammer was a reaction to the Christianization movement. Archaeologists have found evidence of other cultural intersections.

Coins depicting English kings, Catholic saints, Viking swords, and Mjolnir have been found in England. These intersections show how the Vikings adapted to the worlds they entered, flexibly adopting new styles, political symbols, and religions. Their adaptability may have been strategic. Or, with such a large pantheon, it was easy for the Vikings to incorporate another deity into their belief system.

According to tradition, the gods of Asgard fight the giants in an epic final battle that leads to the complete collapse of their mythological world, known as Ragnarok. Medieval Scandinavia eventually adopted Christianity and parted with the pagan pantheon. The conversion was gradual and desperate. But with the adoption of Christianity, Mjolnir began to disappear, being reborn repeatedly. Thor’s hammer returned in the eighteenth century, and pagan stories became popular. The Fascists adopted the Mjolnir as one of the many symbols of the twentieth century, and the neo-Nazis took a special interest in this mythical instrument.