Archaeologists in Sweden have unearthed an amulet with a 1-0-2 image of Thor’s hammer.
Loki’s lies, Odin’s scepter and Thor’s hammer (Mjölnir) are famous images of Norse mythology. And recently, an amulet bearing the symbolic image of the Viking era was unearthed by archaeologists in Sweden and determined to be 1-0-2, according to Ancient Origins.
Radio station Sveriges said that this amulet is hammer-shaped, quite sophisticated, only about 3cm long and has a small hole to thread the strap. Archaeologists determined that the lead amulet in the Ysby area in Halland county (Sweden) was probably made at the end of the 10th century.
In 2014, another amulet was discovered in Denmark, with runes marked on its body. This explains why scientists know these amulets were worn by Vikings to protect themselves.
In Norse mythology, the hammer Mjölnir belonged to the god of thunder, Thor, and was used to stop the Asgard giants from attacking the gods’ homeland. Therefore, in the Viking era, this symbol was used to imply protective power.
Currently, researchers are trying to restore the artifact and initially analyze the metal composition of the amulet. Usually, similar artifacts have been found plated with gold or silver, however, it will be only after the restoration is complete that it will be known exactly whether this Thor hammer amulet was plated or not.
