Runes reveal: Thor's hammer is actually a hammer
A small amulet found on Lolland has finally confirmed that Thor's hammer is exactly what we've thought: a hammer. The runes on this amulet, which is shaped like Thor's hammer, simply read "This is a hammer."
The amulet was discovered earlier this year at Købelev on northwestern Lolland, and it is the first time a Thor's hammer with runes has been found. Museum curator Anders Rasmussen from Museum Lolland-Falster describes the find as exceptional and an important addition to our knowledge of the Viking Age on Lolland-Falster.
The hammer, which is only 2.5 centimeters long, has been sent to the National Museum, where runologist Lisbeth Imer has analyzed the inscription. She has no doubt that the text is correctly translated as "This is a hammer," although there are small irregularities in the execution of the runes.
Lisbeth Imer notes that the runes are typical of the Viking Age, but there is a mirrored s-rune and a missing vowel in the word "hammer." This suggests that the rune carver may not have been very experienced, but it does not mean that the inscription is less important.
Thor's hammer – a symbol of protection, not just masculinity
Peter Pentz, an archaeologist at the National Museum, emphasizes that the find strengthens the theory that these amulets actually represent Thor's hammer, which has been discussed previously. There has been doubt whether the amulets' short shafts and symmetrical heads could really represent a hammer, but now we have written proof.
Interestingly, many of the small Thor's hammers have been found in women's graves, indicating that the hammer was not necessarily a masculine symbol in the Viking Age. Instead, the hammer seems to have functioned as a protective amulet, often worn alongside Christian crosses for double protection.
Pentz also rejects the idea that Thor's hammers represent a resistance to Christianity, which spread in the 10th century. He believes that belief in the Norse gods and Christianity existed side by side.
### New findings on Lolland-Falster shed light on the Viking Age
At Museum Lolland-Falster, Anders Rasmussen is excited about the significance of the find. The Thor's hammer was found at a location that the museum was previously unaware of, and other finds from the area indicate that it was inhabited by Vikings of particularly high status.
Fragments of silver needles and a die for making suit buckles have also been found with the Thor's hammer. These findings suggest that there may have been a workshop where jewelry was produced, and the hammer may well have been made locally.
This is only the second Viking artifact with runic inscriptions found on Lolland, and it adds to a growing collection of exciting finds from the Viking Age in the area. Thanks to close collaboration with local amateur archaeologists, the museum is slowly mapping Viking Age settlements on Lolland-Falster.
Although there are no plans for a major excavation at Købelev, the museum will continue to investigate the area with metal detectors, which will hopefully lead to even more discoveries in the future.
We are of course selling a copy of this spectacular find right here: Thor's Hammer