10 Viking, Norse And Icelandic Symbols Explained

A. Sutherland- AncientPages.com - Vikings used several ancient symbols based on Norse mythology. Symbols played a vital role in Viking society and represented their gods, beliefs, and myths. Some Viking symbols remain mysterious, and their meaning is still unknown, but many ancient symbols have clear messages.

In this top list, we examine some of the most powerful and significant Viking, Norse, and Icelandic symbols and explore their meaning.

1. Thor’s Hammer - Mjölnir

Left: Drawing of a Viking Age gold-plated silver Mjölnir pendant (length 4.6 cm) found at Bredsätra in Öland, Sweden, now kept in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities. Right: A 10th-century Thor's Hammer (Mjölnir) from Ödeshög, Sweden. Credit: Gabriel Hildebrand, The Swedish History Museum - CC BY 2.5

Mjölnir means lightning, and Thor's hammer indicates God's power over thunder and lightning. Thor, the ancient God of war, is one of the most prominent figures in Norse mythology. Thor, the storm-weather God of sky and thunder and a fertility god was the son of Odin and Fyorgyn, the earth goddess.

In Norse mythology, Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, is depicted as one of the most fearsome weapons, capable of leveling mountains. One Norse story tells what happened when he lost his precious hammer.

Mjölnir was a magical weapon that always returned to Thor when he threw it. Wearing Thor's hammer as an amulet of protection was quite common as this was probably the most popular pagan Viking symbol. Even during Christian times, from A.D. 1000 on, Vikings wore Thor's Mjölnir and a cross on a chain or thong around their necks.

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See also: 

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