Thor's Hammers

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Completion Rating
This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

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.

Thor’s hammers of Iron

Loose

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]


... 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


... silver, without ornaments


... of silver with stamped ornaments


... of silver with vegetable patterns


... of pressed silver foil


... of Other Materials


... of amber

C10th (but most examples cannot be dated)
Archaeology

  • Denmark, 9 finds
  • Scandia, 1 find
  • Sweden, 3 finds
  • Gotland, 2 finds

Discussion


... of copper alloy

Archaeology

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

Discussion

... of lead

Archaeology

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

Discussion

... of gold

Archaeology

  • Denmark, 1 find

Discussion


Reference

<nocite> ARWIDSSON1984 JENSEN2010 ROESDAHL1992 </nocite> <biblio force=false>#Template:Bib</biblio>