9th C. Viking Gold Thor's Hammer Pendant - Mjolnir

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Fine Antiquities, Asian, Ethno, Fine Art

By Artemis Fine Arts

May 1, 2025

Set Reminder 2025-05-01 10:00:00 2025-05-01 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities, Asian, Ethno, Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-asian-ethno-fine-art-19334
Showcasing an extraordinary array of artifacts and art, including Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial treasures, fossils, fine and visual arts, and more! All ancient items are ethically sourced and legally available for sale. Enjoy the ease of in-house shipping for a seamless experience! Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisgallery.com

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• Lot Description
  Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Viking or Norse culture, ca. 9th to 11th century CE. A wonderful gold pendant in the form of Mjolnir, the legendary hammer of the Norse thunder god Thor. Flattened in form, the pendant presents a trapezoidal hammer head stamped with 9 triangular motifs, each containing a circle, and a tapering handle terminating in a suspension loop. Thor's hammer was used both as a devastating weapon and as a divine instrument to provide blessings. Thus, Mjolnir ornaments, like this one, were commonly worn during the Viking Age in the Scandinavian cultural sphere, and Thor and his hammer occur depicted on a variety of objects from the archaeological record. The attractive, minimalist design of this stunning pendant creates the perfect combination of ancient art and modern style! Size: 1" L x 0.5" W (2.5 cm x 1.3 cm); gold quality: 75.6% (18.1 karats); weight: 3.7 grams
  
  Petite Thor's hammers were worn as religious amulets throughout the Viking era, usually made of silver and usually hung on silver chains. Some even made it to the Christian era; there is a famous example of a Thor's hammer amulet from Fossi, Iceland, that has been turned into a cross. The important Viking metalworking shops correspond to their great trading ports and proto-urban centers - Birka, Helgo, Sigtuna, and Lund in Sweden, Ribe, Haithabu (Hedeby), and Fyrkat in Denmark, and Kaupang and Trondheim in Norway.
  
  Provenance: private London, UK collection; ex-private London, UK collection, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s; ex-Hewett collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  SHIPPING EXCEPTIONS: Due to customs clearance issues, we are unable to ship to Germany, Switzerland and Australia. If you live in Germany, Switzerland or Australia, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, or we will not be able to complete your purchase. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.)
  
  PAYMENT EXCEPTION: Unless a known customer of Artemis, payment for all gold / precious metal / gem lots must be made via Bank Wire Transfer or Certified Bank Check/Money Order, no exceptions.
  
  #191740

  Condition

  A few miniscule nicks commensurate with age, but otherwise, intact, wearable, and in excellent overall condition. Great preservation of stamped decoration.
• Shipping Info

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