9 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Thor’s hammer amulet discovered in Sweden

Archaeologists have unearthed the Thor’s Hammer amulet, which they call “one of its kind” in Ysby in southwestern Sweden’s Halland province.

The hammer was discovered near a future housing development site. Previous excavations at the site uncovered Neolithic and Iron Age artifacts, but this is the first Viking-era artifact discovered there. It’s also the first Thor’s hammer amulet to be discovered in Halland.

In Norse mythology, the hammer that serves as the basis for the amulet is known as “Mjölnir.” Thor used the weapon to protect his home, Asgard, from giants.

The amulet dates back to the late 10th century is 3 centimeters (1.18 inches) long and cast in lead in the stylized shape that represents Thor’s dwarf-crafted hammer Mjölnir. It has a hole in the shaft through which a string or tie of some kind was threaded so that it could be worn as a pendant. An interlacing pattern is engraved on one side of the hammer’s head.

Photo: Radio Sweden

This suggests to the archaeologists that the hammer was worn around the neck as a protective amulet. Mjolnir was associated with protective powers during the Viking Age due to its status as a weapon of one of the strongest Norse gods.

These were popular Viking-era accessories, worn as apotropaic amulets, calling on Thor’s protective power to ward off evil. The Halland area was beginning to convert to Christianity at the time this one was worn. A pendant like this had religious significance beyond its purported warding powers because it was an unmistakable symbol of adherence to Form Sidr (meaning “the old way,” ie, the traditional Nordic gods) rather than the new way of Christianity.

Photo: KULTURMILJÖ HALLAND

Museologists are currently preserving the rare Viking Age artifact, according to Per Wranning from Kulturmiljö Halland. Scientists will begin examining the metallic composition of the object after these initial restoration techniques have been completed. Similar artifacts were frequently silvered or gilded, but the scientists won’t know if this particular artifact was plated or not until the restoration is complete.

Related Articles

Tomb of a Roman doctor buried with unique surgical tools unearthed in Hungary

28 April 2023

28 April 2023

Hungarian archaeologists discovered the tomb of a Roman doctor 1st-century man buried with high-quality surgical tools near the city of...

4750-year-old Megalithic Stone Plaza Discovered in the High Andes of Peru

15 February 2024

15 February 2024

Two anthropology professors from the University of Wyoming have discovered a prehistoric plaza high in the Andes, known as Callacpuma...

3800-years-old Akkadian Cuneiform Tablet found in Turkey’s Hatay

11 August 2023

11 August 2023

A 3,800-year-old Akkadian cuneiform tablet was found during the archaeological excavations carried out in the Aççana Mound, the old city...

An ancient melon genome from Libya reveals interesting insights regarding watermelon relatives

2 August 2022

2 August 2022

The earliest known seeds from a watermelon related were discovered during an archaeological dig in Libya, going back 6,000 years...

The Largest Ancient Floor Mosaic in Cappadocia and Central Anatolia Region Uncovered -600 square meters-

12 November 2023

12 November 2023

The structure with the largest floor mosaic in Cappadocia and Central Anatolia Region was unearthed during the excavations carried out...

Pictish ring believed to be more than 1,000-years-old found during Burghead fort dig in Scotland

5 September 2024

5 September 2024

A “remarkable” Pictish ring thought to be more than 1,000 years old has been unearthed by an amateur archaeologist on...

Largest Anglo-Saxon cemetery discovered in Britain illuminates ‘Dark Ages’

16 June 2022

16 June 2022

Archaeologists working on HS2 (the purpose-built high-speed railway line) have discovered a rich Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, where almost...

Tens of Thousands of Ancient Bronze Coins Dating from the 4th Century Discovered Off Sardinia

4 November 2023

4 November 2023 1

A diver spotted something metallic at the bottom of the sea off the town of Arzachena in the Sassari province...

Archeological park to be built at suburban Shanghai ancient ruins site in China

20 October 2021

20 October 2021

An archeological park will be built at the Qinglong Town ruins site of Baihe in Qingpu District as part of...

Evidence of Brain Surgery performed 3,000 years ago discovered in the ancient city of Tel Megiddo

27 February 2023

27 February 2023

Researchers have discovered a rare instance of delicate cranial surgery, possibly the earliest of its kind in the Middle East,...

1,800-year-old Bronze military medal with Medusa head found in southeastern Turkey

5 October 2022

5 October 2022

A military medal believed to be almost 1,800 years old has been found by archaeologists in Turkey. The discovery was...

Rare Gold Coin from Reign of Byzantine Emperor Justin II Unearthed at Tuida Fortress in Sliven, Bulgaria

25 June 2025

25 June 2025

A rare gold coin dating back to the reign of Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Emperor Justin II (r. 565–578 CE) has...

Iznik Archaeology Museum reveals 2,500-year-old love letter

16 January 2023

16 January 2023

İznik is an ancient habitation that hosts various civilizations due to its fertile lands, trade routes, and many other reasons....

A Medieval Necropolis Discovered During Excavations at the site of the Future Bus Station in Sozopol, Bulgaria

4 April 2024

4 April 2024

A medieval necropolis was discovered during excavations at the construction site of a bus station in the old seaside town...

Archaeologists Discover Assyrian-Style Leather Armor 2,700 Years Old in China

11 December 2021

11 December 2021

The new research shows that the unique leather armor found in a horse rider’s tomb in Northwest China was made...