Magical Symbols - Thor's Hammer

Mjölnir

Thor's hammer is the war hammer of Thor and bears the name Mjölnir. Nordic mythology is inextricably linked with it and it is considered the Viking symbol par excellence.

The hammer of Thor, the god of thunder, was regarded by the Germanic tribes as a symbol of strength, energy and old age. It is also an amulet of protection and luck and remembered as a tribute to the old gods of Norse mythology.

Mjölnir originally symbolised all the functions of the god Thor. As defender and protector of the people, Thor kept dangers away from them, ensured balanced weather and sufficient offspring in the communities.

Mjölnir is a thoroughly ambivalent symbol. On the one hand, it shows the destructive power of thunder and lightning; but after the thunderstorm, rain appears to bless the land.

Norse mythology sees Thor's hammer as a symbol of keeping chaos at bay and maintaining divine order. In all ceremonies, be it birth, wedding, the blessing of a field and also at funerals, Mjölnir bears the character of keeping the world in its joints.