In Norse mythology, Mjölnirr; also Mjǫlnir, Mjollnir, Mjölner, Mjølner, Mjølnir or
Mjølne) is the hammer of Thor, a major Norse god associated with thunder. Mjölnir is depicted
in Norse mythology as one of the most fearsome weapons, capable of leveling mountains. In
his account of Norse mythology, Snorri Sturluson relates how the hammer was made by the dwarven
brothers Sindri and Brokkr, and how its characteristically short handle was due to a mishap during its
manufacture.
Name Mjölnir is usually interpreted as meaning
"That which smashes", derived from the verb mölva "To smash"; comparable derivations
from the same root meaning "hammer" are Slavic molot and Latin malleus.
An alternative suggestion compares the name to Russian молния and the Welsh word
mellt, both words are taken as meaning "lightning". This second theory would make Mjölnir the
weapon of the storm god identified with lightning, as in the lightning-bolt or vajra in other
Indo-European mythologies. In the Old Norse texts, Mjölnir is identified
as hamarr "a hammer", a word that in Old Norse could mean "hammer" as well as "stone, rock,
cliff", ultimately derived from an Indo-European word for "stone, stone tool", h₂éḱmō;
as such it is cognate with Sanskrit aśman, meaning "stone, rock, stone tool; hammer"
as well as "thunderbolt". Norse mythology
Skáldskaparmál An account of the origin of Mjölnir is found
in Skáldskaparmál from Snorri's Edda: In this story, Loki bets his head with Sindri
and his brother Brokkr that they could never succeed in making items more beautiful than
those of the Sons of Ivaldi. Sindri and Brokkr accept Loki's bet and the
two brothers begin working. They begin to work in their workshop and Eitri puts a pig's
skin in the forge and tells his brother never to stop working the bellows until he comes
and takes out what he put in. Loki, in disguise as a fly, comes and bites Brokkr on the arm.
Nevertheless, he continues to pump the bellows. Then, Sindri takes out Gullinbursti, Freyr's
boar with shining bristles. Next, Sindri puts some gold in the forge and gives Brokkr the
same order. Again, Loki, still in the guise of a fly comes and, again, bites Brokkr's
neck twice as hard as he had bitten his arm. Just as before, Brokkr continues to work the
bellows despite the pain. When Sindri returns, he takes out Draupnir, Odin's ring, which
drops eight duplicates of itself every ninth night.
Finally, Sindri puts some iron in the forge and tells Brokkr not to stop pumping the bellows.
Loki comes a third time and this time bites Brokkr on the eyelid even harder. The bite
is so deep that it draws blood. The blood runs into Brokkr's eyes and forces him stop
working the bellows just long enough to wipe his eyes. This time, when Sindri returns,
he takes Mjöllnir out of the forge. The handle is shorter than Sindri had planned and so
the hammer can only be wielded with one hand. Despite the flaw in the handle, Sindri and
Brokkr win the bet and go to take Loki's head. However, Loki worms his way out of the bet
by pointing out that the dwarves would need to cut his neck to remove his head, but Loki's
neck was not part of the deal. As a consolation prize, Brokkr sews Loki's mouth shut to teach
him a lesson. The final product is then presented to Thor,
and its properties are described, as follows, Poetic Edda
Thor possessed a formidable chariot, which is drawn by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr.
A belt, Megingjörð, and iron gloves, Járngreipr, were used to lift Mjölnir. Mjölnir is the
focal point of some of Thor's adventures. This is clearly illustrated in a poem found
in the Poetic Edda titled Þrymskviða. The myth relates that the giant, Þrymr, steals
Mjölnir from Thor and then demands the goddess Freyja in exchange. Loki, the god notorious
for his duplicity, conspires with the other Æsir to recover Mjölnir by disguising Thor
as Freyja and presenting him as the "goddess" to Þrymr.
At a banquet Þrymr holds in honor of the impending union, Þrymr takes the bait. Unable
to contain his passion for his new maiden with long, blond locks, as Þrymr approaches
the bride by placing Mjölnir on "her" lap, Thor rips off his disguise and destroys Þrymr
and his giant cohorts. Archaeological record
Precedents and comparanda A precedent of these Viking Age Thor's hammer
amulets are recorded for the migration period Alemanni, who took to wearing Roman "Hercules'
Clubs" as symbols of Donar. A possible remnant of these Donar amulets was recorded in 1897,
as a custom of Unterinn of incising a T-shape above front doors for protection against evils
of all kinds, especially storms. Viking Age pendants
About 50 specimens of Mjölnir amulets have been found widely dispersed throughout Scandinavia,
dating from the 9th to 11th centuries, most commonly discovered in areas with a strong
Christian influence including southern Norway, south-eastern Sweden, and Denmark. Due to
the similarity of equal-armed, square crosses featuring figures of Christ on them at around
the same time, the wearing of Thor's hammers as pendants may have come into fashion in
defiance of the square amulets worn by newly converted Christians in the regions.
An iron Thor's hammer pendant excavated in Yorkshire, dating to ca. AD 1000 bears an
uncial inscription preceded and followed by a cross, interpreted as indicating a Christian
owner syncretizing pagan and Christian symbolism. A 10th-century soapstone mold found at Trendgården,
Jutland, Denmark is notable for allowing the casting of both crucifix and Thor's hammer
pendants. A silver specimen found near Fossi, Iceland can be interpreted as either a Christian
cross or a Thor's hammer. Unusually, the elongated limb of the cross ends in a beast's head.
Viking Age depictions
Some image stones and runestones found in Denmark and southern Sweden bear an inscription
of a hammer. Runestones depicting Thor's hammer include runestones U 1161 in Altuna, Sö 86
in Åby, Sö 111 in Stenkvista, Sö 140 in Jursta, Vg 113 in Lärkegapet, Öl 1 in Karlevi,
DR 26 in Laeborg, DR 48 in Hanning, DR 120 in Spentrup, and DR 331 in Gårdstånga. Other
runestones included an inscription calling for Thor to safeguard the stone. For example,
the stone of Virring in Denmark had the inscription þur uiki þisi kuml, which translates into
English as "May Thor hallow this memorial." There are several examples of a similar inscription,
each one asking for Thor to "hallow" or protect the specific artifact. Such inscriptions may
have been in response to the Christians, who would ask for God's protection over their
dead. Swastika symbol
According to some scholars, the swastika shape may have been a variant popular in Anglo-Saxon
England prior to Christianization, especially in East Anglia and Kent. Wilson points out
that while the swastika had been "vulgarly called in Scandinavia the hammer of Thor",
the symbol properly so called had a Y or T shape.
Modern usage Most practitioners of Germanic Neopagan faiths
wear Mjölnir pendants as a symbol of that faith worldwide. Renditions of Mjölnir are
designed, crafted and sold by some Germanic Neopagan groups and individuals.
Some controversy has occurred concerning the potential recognition of the symbol as a religious
symbol by the United States government. In May 2013 the "Hammer of Thor" was added to
the list of United States Department of Veterans Affairs emblems for headstones and markers.
See also
Battle Axe culture Bracteate
Donar's oak Irminsul
Labrys Sun cross
Uchide no kozuchi Ukonvasara
Vajra List of mythological objects
Archaeological record of Mjölnir Notes
References Turville-Petre, E.O.G. Myth and Religion of
the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1964.
External links A gallery of images of Mjöllnir pendants
from archaeological finds National Museum of Denmark – The Hammer
of Thor — Past Horizons, June 29, 2014.