VIKING THOR'S HAMMER SILVER AMULET WITH LOOP

Ca. 900-1100 AD. Viking. A stunning silver pendant in the shape of a Mjölnir (Thor's hammer) decorated with three circles and notches above and below, hanging from a circular loop. Good condition. Thor's hammer pendants were worn as religious amulets throughout the Viking era; they were usually made of silver and hung on silver chains. Thor was a prominent Norse god and his Mjölnir is depicted in Norse mythology as one of the most fearsome weapons, capable of levelling mountains. Though generally recognised and depicted as a hammer, Mjölnir is sometimes referred to as an axe or club. To find out more about the Vikings and their art, see Graham-Campbell, J. (2013). Viking Art. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd. For more information on Viking Jewellery, see Arbman, H. (1940). Birka I Die Gräber. Uppsala and Hubbard, B. (2016) The Viking Warrior. Amber Books Ltd, London, 61-65. Size: L:43mm / W:17mm ; 5g. Provenance: Property of a European gentleman, formerly acquired on the UK Art Market in the 1990s.