Thor's Hammers

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A pendant roughly shaped like a hammer. Usually worn with the hammer head suspended downwards.
Depictions of Thor’s hammers can be seen on Viking rune stones. They are usually cast but can be cut from sheet, formed from hammered rod or soldered together from chased sheet-silver. Thor’s hammers can be broken into three categories, plain, punch worked or filigree. (ROESDAHL and WILSON 1992, p.190)

Types of Thor’s hammers

The following style types are those devised by Staecker as listed by Jensen [JENSEN 2010:p.72]. Finds data is based on the database created by Jensen and only includes Thor’s hammers dateable to the Viking Age. For instance they do not contain 7th century Thor’s hammers from England.

Loose Thor’s hammers of iron

C9th & C10th
Archaeology

  • England, 1
  • Denmark, 53
  • Germany, 5
  • Iceland, 1
  • Scania, 3
  • Sweden,65

Discussion

Thor’s hammer rings

Archaeology
Scotland, 1 find Sweden, 120 finds containing 321 Thor’s hammers Gotland, 1 find

Discussion Birka: 58 Thors hammer rings found. 95% in cremations. Of graves 11 on women, 9 on men. (ARWIDSSON 1984, p.133)


Thor’s hammers of amber

C10th (but most examples cannot be dated) Archaeology • Denmark, 9 finds • Scandia, 1 find • Sweden, 3 finds • Gotland, 2 finds Discussion

Thor’s hammers of copper alloy

Archaeology • England, 4 finds • Denmark, 12 finds • Sweden, 2 finds • Gotland, 1 find Discussion

Thor’s hammers of lead

Archaeology • England, 2 finds • Denmark, 7 finds • Gotland, 2 finds Discussion

Thor’s hammers of gold

Archaeology • Denmark, 1 find Discussion

Thor’s hammers of silver

Unfortunately Jensen does not supply any information regarding the number of silver Thor’s hammers that fall into Staecker four sub categories. Archaeology • England, 12 • Denmark, 25 • Iceland, 1 • Norway, 5 • Sweden, 26

Thor’s hammers of silver, without ornaments

Thor’s hammers of silver with stamped ornaments

Thor’s hammers of silver with vegetable patterns

Thor’s hammers of pressed silver foil