Mjölnir

Mjölnir

Mjölnir (/ˈmjɔːlnɪər/, Old Norse: Mjǫllnir [ˈmjɔlːnez̠]) is the hammer of Thor, the Norse god of thunder. In Norse mythology, it serves as both a devastating weapon and a divine tool for blessings. The hammer is referenced in numerous sources, including the 11th-century Kvinneby runic amulet, the Poetic Edda (a collection of Old Norse poems from the 13th century), and the Prose Edda (a collection of prose and poetry also from the 13th century). During the Viking Age, Mjölnir pendants were widely worn across the Scandinavian cultural sphere. Depictions of Thor and his hammer can be found on various archaeological artefacts. Today, the symbol appears in a range of media and is again worn as a pendant, especially by followers of modern paganism.

Etymology

The origins of the name Mjǫllnir are debated among historical linguists. The Old Norse Mjǫllnir developed from Proto-Norse melluniaR. One proposed derivation links it to Old Church Slavonic mlunuji and Russian molnija, meaning "lightning," suggesting that Mjölnir translates as "lightning maker." Another theory connects Mjǫllnir to Old Norse mjǫll, meaning "new snow," and modern Icelandic mjalli, meaning "white in colour," rendering Mjölnir as "shining lightning weapon." A third theory ties it to Old Norse mala ("to grind") and Gothic malwjan ("to grind"), interpreting Mjölnir as "the grinder."

Historical Evidence

Kvinneby Amulet

The Kvinneby amulet, likely worn as a pendant, is a small copper amulet found on the Swedish island of Öland, dating to the 11th century. It bears an Old Norse Younger Futhark inscription invoking Thor and his hammer. The inscription, translated by runologists Mindy MacLeod and Bernard Mees, reads:

"Here I carve (runes of) help for you, Bofi.
Help me! Knowledge (?) is surely yours.
And may lightning ward off all evil from Bofi.
May Thor protect him with his hammer that came from the sea.
Flee from evil! It (?) will gain nothing from Bofi.
The gods are below him and above him."

The inscription references narratives recorded centuries later in the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda.

Poetic Edda

Mjölnir is mentioned in several Poetic Edda poems, including Vafþrúðnismál, Hymiskviða, Lokasenna, and Þrymskviða. In Vafþrúðnismál, the wise jötunn Vafþrúðnir tells Odin that after Ragnarök, Thor's sons Móði and Magni will wield Mjölnir:

  • Benjamin Thorpe’s 1866 translation:
    "Vidar and Vali will inhabit the gods’ holy sanctuaries,
    when Surt's fire has subsided.
    Móði and Magni will possess Mjölnir
    and endeavour to end wars."

  • Henry Adams Bellows’ 1923 translation:
    "In the house of the gods shall Vidar and Vali dwell,
    When the fires of Surt have ceased;
    Móði and Magni shall Mjöllnir hold
    When Vingnir falls in fight."

  • Carolyne Larrington’s 2014 translation:
    "Vidar and Vali will live in the gods’ sanctuaries,
    when Surt’s fire is extinguished;
    Móði and Magni will have Mjölnir,
    and display their fighting strength."

In Hymiskviða, Thor uses Mjölnir to battle malevolent jötnar (here poetically called whales) after obtaining a large cauldron requested by Ægir, the personified ocean, to brew beer for the gods.

  • Benjamin Thorpe’s 1866 translation:
    "He lifted the cauldron from his shoulders;
    Mjölnir fell upon the savage crew,
    And slew all the mountain giants
    Who pursued him with Hýimir."

  • Henry Adams Bellows’ 1923 translation:
    "He stood and hurled the kettle from his back,
    And Mjollnir, the lover of slaughter, swung;
    Thus he slew all the whales of the waste."

  • Carolyne Larrington’s 2014 translation:
    "He lifted the splendid kettle from his shoulders,
    he swung Mjölnir in front of him, eager to kill,
    and struck down all the lava-whales."

Þrymskviða

Mjölnir plays a central role in the Þrymskviða. One day, Thor awakens to find his hammer missing. Loki discovers that the jötunn Þrymr has stolen it and buried it deep underground. Þrymr demands Freyja as his bride in exchange for the hammer. When Freyja refuses, Heimdallr suggests Thor disguise himself as Freyja. Though reluctant, Thor agrees. Loki, disguised as Freyja's maid, accompanies him to Jötunheimr. During the farcical wedding feast, Thor retrieves Mjölnir, kills Þrymr, and destroys the gathered jötnar, regaining his hammer.

This vivid narrative is one of many that underscores Mjölnir's dual role as a weapon of destruction and a sacred tool in Norse mythology.

 

Prose Edda

Mjölnir, Thor’s legendary hammer, is prominently featured in the Prose Edda, specifically in the books Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál.

Gylfaginning

At the beginning of Gylfaginning, High describes Thor’s three prized possessions: his hammer Mjölnir, his iron gloves Járngreipr, and his belt Megingjörð. High explains that Thor must wear his gloves to wield the hammer and that Mjölnir is infamous among the jötnar for crushing the skulls of many giants over time.

Thor’s Goats and the Farmer’s House

In one tale, Thor and Loki travel in Thor’s chariot, drawn by his two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr. They stop at a farmer’s house for the night, where Thor slaughters his goats, cooks them, and invites the farmer’s family to share the meal. Thor instructs them to throw the goats' bones onto the goatskins after eating. However, the farmer’s son, Þjálfi, breaks a bone to extract the marrow.

The next morning, Thor blesses the goatskins with Mjölnir, resurrecting the goats. One goat, however, is lame in its hind leg. Thor realises that someone has mishandled the bones, becoming furious at the farmer’s family.

Journey to Jötunheimr

Thor, Loki, and Thor’s servants, Þjálfi and Röskva, venture into Jötunheimr, encountering a vast forest. Struggling to find shelter, they discover a peculiar building with a wide entrance and spend the night there. At midnight, an earthquake wakes them, and Thor guards the building’s entrance with Mjölnir in hand.

At dawn, Thor exits the building to find a massive man snoring loudly. The man introduces himself as Skrýmir and reveals that the “building” was actually his glove. Skrýmir knows Thor’s identity and invites the group to travel together.

During their journey, Thor attempts to strike Skrýmir three times while he sleeps. Each time, Skrýmir wakes, mistaking the blows for minor disturbances like a falling leaf or an acorn. Later, Skrýmir reveals that the attacks were illusions; he is actually the giant Útgarða-Loki, who used magic to protect himself. Thor’s strikes, though harmless to Skrýmir, created deep valleys in the landscape.

Thor and Jörmungandr

Gylfaginning recounts the story of Thor’s battle with the great serpent Jörmungandr. Thor throws Mjölnir, striking the serpent’s head. However, Third (the storyteller) expresses doubt, suggesting that Jörmungandr still lives, coiled around the world.

Baldr’s Funeral

High also narrates the death and funeral of Baldr. The gods struggle to launch Baldr’s funeral ship until they summon the powerful jötunn Hyrrokkin from Jötunheimr. Riding a wolf with vipers for reins, Hyrrokkin pushes the ship into the water with such force that flames erupt and earthquakes occur. Thor, enraged, wishes to crush Hyrrokkin’s skull with Mjölnir but is dissuaded by the other gods.

During the funeral, Thor consecrates the ship with Mjölnir. A dwarf named Lit stumbles before him, and Thor kicks him into the flames.

Ragnarök

Gylfaginning concludes with a prophecy about Ragnarök, the end of the world marked by disasters and upheaval. After Ragnarök, the world is reborn, green and beautiful. Thor’s sons, Móði and Magni, return to Asgard with Mjölnir, continuing their father’s legacy.

 

Skáldskaparmál

The book Skáldskaparmál from the Prose Edda contains several references to Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir, including mentions in skaldic poetry. In a section discussing poetic terms for the gods, it notes that Thor can be described as the "ruler and owner" of Mjölnir.

The section cites a verse from the 9th-century skald Bragi Boddason, referring to the hammer:

The terror of Oflugbardi [Thor] lifted his hammer in his right hand when he recognised the coal-fish that encircles all lands [the Midgard Serpent].

The text also quotes a verse by Gamli gnævaðarskáld, which mentions the hammer:

The lord of Bilskirnir, who never harboured treachery in his heart, swiftly destroyed the sea fish [the Midgard Serpent] with the curse of the gorge whale [the giant’s bane] [Mjölnir].

Thor's Battle with Hrungnir

Skáldskaparmál recounts Thor’s use of Mjölnir in his battle against the Jötunn Hrungnir. After the gods in Asgard grow weary of Hrungnir’s unbearable boasting, they summon Thor, who arrives immediately with his hammer raised. Thor eventually duels with Hrungnir, who brings a whetstone as his weapon. Thor hurls Mjölnir at Hrungnir, while Hrungnir throws the whetstone at Thor. Mjölnir shatters the whetstone into two pieces: one becomes the ancestor of all whetstones, while the other becomes lodged in Thor’s head. Meanwhile, Mjölnir smashes Hrungnir’s skull into fragments.

The story includes extended excerpts from Haustlöng, a poem attributed to the 10th-century skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir. In the poem, Mjölnir is mentioned multiple times, such as:

The rock-man [giant] did not have to wait long for a swift blow from the tough friend [Thor] of the hammer-face troll [Mjölnir]

and

The gorge-land prince [giant] sank down before the sturdy hammer, as the cliff-Dane crusher [Thor] drove the mighty foe back.

Thor’s Encounter with Geirröðr

Skáldskaparmál also narrates Thor’s meeting with Geirröðr. In the introduction, it states that Thor arrives at Geirröðr’s court without Mjölnir. Instead, he wields a staff gifted by his Jötunn lover Gríðr.

The Creation of Mjölnir

The final mention of the hammer in Skáldskaparmál explains its creation by the dwarven brothers Eitri and Brokkr. The tale begins with Loki cutting off the hair of the goddess Sif. Thor, upon discovering this, seizes Loki and threatens to break every bone in his body unless he rectifies the situation. Loki seeks out the Svartálfar, and the sons of Ivaldi craft three marvellous items for him: Sif’s golden hair, Frey’s ship Skíðblaðnir, and Odin’s spear Gungnir.

Loki, impressed, bets the dwarf Brokkr that his brother Eitri cannot forge three items of equal quality. As Eitri works on the creations, a fly (Loki in disguise) enters and stings him three times. Despite this, Eitri completes his work:

  1. The golden boar Gullinbursti, after placing a pig’s hide into the forge.
  2. The golden ring Draupnir, which produces eight identical rings every nine nights, after placing gold into the forge.
  3. Mjölnir, forged from iron, though the fly’s final sting distracts Eitri, resulting in the hammer’s handle being slightly short.

The Gods’ Judgement

The gods Odin, Thor, and Frey gather to evaluate the quality of the items. As the gods examine Mjölnir, Brokkr explains:

He gave Thor the hammer, saying he could strike as hard as he wished, no matter the target, and the hammer would never fail. If thrown, it would always hit its mark and return to Thor’s hand, and it could be made small enough to fit inside his tunic. However, it had the flaw of a rather short handle.

The three gods agree that the hammer is the finest of all the items. The narrative continues without further mention of Mjölnir.

 

Archaeological Finds

Hammer Pendants, Rings, Coins, Typology, Taxonomy, and Eitri Database

Approximately 1,000 pendants with distinctive shapes representing Thor’s hammer have been unearthed across modern Nordic countries, England, northern Germany, the Baltic states, and Russia. Most of these pendants are simple, made from iron or silver, while about 100 feature more advanced designs with embellishments. The pendants have been found in varied contexts, including urban sites and hoards, and appear in a variety of shapes. As of 2004, 10% of all finds came from graves, nearly all of which were cremation burials, often identified as female graves.

Thor’s hammer has also appeared on other objects, such as two Arabic coins found at an urban excavation site.

In 1999, German archaeologist Jörn Staecker proposed a typology for hammer finds based on decorative style and material properties (e.g., amber, iron, or silver). In 2019, American scholar Katherine Suzanne Beard expanded on this typology, incorporating factors such as the hammer's shape and suspension method. That same year, Beard introduced Eitri: The Norse Artifacts Database, an online resource cataloguing numerous hammer finds, including data on their composition and find contexts.

Origins and Development

Scholars have explored the development of hammer pendants, which seem to have evolved from a pre-existing tradition of similar pendants among the North Germanic peoples.

Research also suggests the hammer may have derived from a pendant worn by other ancient Germanic peoples, the so-called Hercules club amulet. The growing popularity of the hammer amulet during the Viking Age, along with variations in its form, may have been a response to the increasing use of Christian cross pendants in the region during the process of Christianisation.

In Viking Age cremation graves across the Mälaren region, Åland, and Russia, archaeologists have discovered items referred to as Thor’s hammer rings. These are iron rings to which several amulets are attached; many, though not all, of the amulets are hammer-shaped. These amulet rings, often found in cremation urns in both male and female graves (though more frequently in female ones), may have played a role in cremation rituals, though their exact function remains unclear. The earliest examples date to the Vendel period, but they seem to have become more common in the late Viking Age, possibly due to political and religious conflicts.

Eyrarland Statue

The Eyrarland statue, a figure made of a copper alloy discovered near Akureyri, Iceland, and dating to approximately the 11th century, possibly depicts Thor seated, gripping his hammer.

Rune Stones and Picture Stones

Depictions of Thor’s hammer can be found on several rune stones, including DR 26, DR 48, and DR 120 in Denmark, and VG 113, Sö 86, and Sö 111 in Sweden. At least three stones show Thor fishing for the serpent Jörmungandr, two of which also feature hammers: the Altuna rune stone in Altuna, Sweden, and the Gosforth depiction in Gosforth, England.

Scholarly Reception and Interpretation

Latin Sources: Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus

Two sources describe Thor wielding hammer-like objects, though not explicitly referred to as hammers. In the 11th century, Adam of Bremen, in his Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum, describes a statue of Thor, whom Adam calls the "Mightiest," located in the temple at Gamla Uppsala, Sweden, at the centre of a triple throne flanked by Woden and "Fricco." Adam recounts that "Thor rules the skies, governs thunder and lightning, winds and storms, fair weather, and fertility," and that "Thor looks like Jupiter with his club." Offerings to Thor were made in times of pestilence or famine.

In the Gesta Danorum by the Danish author Saxo Grammaticus (12th century), a euhemerised version of Thor wields a clava (wooden club). Saxo recounts a story in which Thor's hammer, with its short handle, plays a role in protecting the gods. In Book 3, Thor’s club shatters shields and armour, but it is rendered unusable when Høther breaks its handle.

Scholars have interpreted these weapons as references to Mjölnir. Beard notes that "archaeological hammer finds (even those contemporary with Adam’s accounts) bear no resemblance to these club-like weapons," suggesting their literary appearance might stem from interpretatio romana. Beard points out that the Eitri Database contains only one wooden hammer fragment, and its identification as a hammer remains uncertain.

Ritual and Symbolic Use

Old Norse records mention that Thor used Mjölnir not only as a fearsome weapon but also as a tool for sanctification. In Þrymskviða, the hammer is brought forth to sanctify a bride (secretly Thor in disguise). In Gylfaginning, Thor uses the hammer to resurrect his goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, and in Skáldskaparmál, he blesses Baldr’s ship during the funerary rites. Archaeological artefacts often invoke Thor for protection, with some explicitly depicting or invoking his hammer.

In Book 13 of Gesta Danorum, Saxo Grammaticus describes how Magnus the Strong removed large hammer models from a Thor-dedicated temple in 1125:

Oliver Elton’s 1894 translation:

"He took care to carry off certain hammers of unusual weight, which they call Jupiter’s and which the islanders used in their ancient faith. The ancients, wishing to explain the causes of thunder and lightning by a resemblance to material things, took up large and massive hammers of bronze, believing these to produce the crashing of the heavens, as they thought the great and mighty noise could well be imitated by the smith’s craft. But Magnus, zealous for Christian doctrine and averse to heathenism, determined to strip the temple of its furnishings and Jupiter of his insignia."

According to Davidson, "Thor’s hammer symbolised not only the destructive power of storms and celestial fire but also protection against the forces of evil and violence." Its symbolic reach extended to birth, marriage, death, cremation, weaponry, feasts, travel, land claims, and oaths.

 

Nordic Bronze Age and Proto-Indo-European Origins

Petroglyphs and Early Associations

Petroglyphs from the Nordic Bronze Age depict figures holding hammers or hammer-like weapons, such as axes. Scholars suggest these figures may be precursors to Mjölnir. Rudolf Simek summarises:
"As the Bronze Age rock carvings of axe- or hammer-bearing god-like figures show, [Mjölnir] already played a role as a consecration instrument, probably in a fertility cult..."

Thor is one of several deities associated with thunder or personifying it, wielding hammer-like objects linked to phenomena such as light or fire. In many myths, these objects return to the deity when thrown or cause weather changes. Examples include the Vedic Indra wielding a thunderbolt, Jupiter hurling lightning, and the Celtic god Dagda with his club. Scholars widely agree that the concept of Thor and his hammer shares roots with similar figures in Proto-Indo-European mythology.

Connection to the Swastika and Icelandic Folklore

Swastika as Thor’s Hammer

The swastika appears on various objects made or used by ancient Germanic peoples. In late Icelandic folklore, the swastika symbol is referred to in grimoires as Thor’s Hammer. Runologists Mindy MacLeod and Bernard Mees note:
"The term 'Thor’s Hammer' was applied in the early modern period to swastikas ('sun wheels'), not to the hammer symbols seen in medieval runic inscriptions. Similarly, terms once used for other symbols became associated with new forms, often of unclear origin."

Other scholars suggest the swastika might have early connections to Thor’s hammer among the ancient Germanic peoples. Hilda Ellis Davidson, exploring the swastika in Germanic archaeological records, concludes:
"Thor was the sender of lightning and the god who granted people both sunshine and rain. It seems likely that both the swastika and the hammer symbol were associated with him."

Modern Popular Culture

Mjölnir in Media and Art

Mjölnir frequently appears in modern media. As Rudolf Simek observes, "Thor is almost always depicted with [Mjölnir] in art," though its form varies. Sometimes it resembles Hercules’ club, other times a massive sledgehammer, influenced by archaeological records. Examples include:

  • 18th–19th Century Art: Henry Fuseli’s Thor Battering the Midgard Serpent (1780), H. E. Freund’s Thor statue (1821–1822), B. E. Fogelberg’s marble statue Thor (1844), Mårten Eskil Winge’s Thor's Fight with the Giants (1872), and illustrations by E. Doepler in Wilhelm Ranisch’s Walhall (1901).
  • 20th Century Art: J. C. Dollman’s Thor and the Mountain and Sif and Thor (1909), G. Poppe’s Thor, and U. Brember’s illustrations for Die Heimholung des Hammers (1977).

Namesakes and Cultural References

Numerous places, organisations, and objects bear Mjölnir’s name, such as:

  • Places and Structures: Mjølnerparken in Copenhagen, the Mjølnir Crater off Norway’s coast, and the Hammer of Thor monument in Quebec.
  • Theme Parks and Sports: Thor’s Hammer roller coaster in Norway’s Tusenfryd amusement park and FK Mjølner, a Norwegian football club.
  • Ships: Vessels named HNoMS Mjølner (1868) and HSwMS Mjölner.
  • Music: Bands like the American-Norwegian metal band Thorr’s Hammer and the Icelandic rock band Thor’s Hammer.

Mjölnir also features in civic symbols, such as the seals and coats of arms for Tórshavn (Faroe Islands’ capital) and Torsås (Sweden).

Contemporary Use of Mjölnir Symbols

Religious and Cultural Significance

Today, Mjölnir pendants are worn for various reasons, often by adherents of Heathenry, a modern religious movement. Scholars Jenny Blain and Robert J. Wallis observe:
"The most common wearers of Mjölnir are found within the Heathen community. The hammer is a frequent sacred item in Heathen spirituality, publicly displayed through replicas, pilgrimages to sacred sites, and visits to museum collections featuring ancient religious artefacts."

In the United States, Thor’s Hammer is an approved religious emblem (#55) for military veterans’ gravestones, recognised by the National Cemetery Administration.

Appropriation by Hate Groups

Unfortunately, Mjölnir has been co-opted by white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups. The Anti-Defamation League notes:
"Although its traditional origins are not racist and most modern Asatruers are not racist, neo-Nazis and white supremacists have adopted the symbol of Thor’s Hammer, particularly those practising racist versions of neo-Norse faiths. White supremacists often create racist versions of Thor’s Hammer, incorporating swastikas or other hate symbols into its design."

Katherine Beard remarks:
"Most people who wear hammer pendants today do so for cultural, religious, or decorative reasons and have no connection to racist groups or ideologies."

.

Back to blog