In 2014, an extraordinary Viking Age amulet was discovered in Købelev, Denmark.
The tiny object, dating to around the 10th century, looked like the many pendants archaeologists had long interpreted as representations of Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir.
But this one contained something remarkable: runes.
The inscription has been interpreted as:
“Hmar x is” — “This is a hammer.”
The discovery provided rare written evidence supporting the interpretation of these distinctive pendants as hammer amulets.
But it also created a fascinating question:
Why would someone more than 1,000 years ago need to write “This is a hammer” on something shaped like a hammer?
A declaration of belief? A way of identifying the symbol? Something more personal?
We may never know.
#Vikings #VikingHistory #ThorsHammer #Mjolnir #NorseMythology #Archaeology #VikingAge #Runes #NorseHistory
