VIKING THOR'S HAMMER SILVER AMULET

Ca. 900-1100 AD. Viking. A stunning silver pendant in the shape of a Mjölnir (Thor's hammer) decorated with typical engraved triangular marks, each with three raised dots. 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:64mm / W:35mm; 29g. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquired on the UK/European art market in the 1980s.