Rights Holder: Leicestershire County Council
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Unique ID: LEIC-185125
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
Early Medieval (Viking) silver Thor's hammer, 29 mm long, 21 mm wide at head and 4 mm thick. The object is T-shaped and consists of a sub-rectangular head which comes to a slight point in the centre of its upper edge, and tapers gently in width to its straight edges. This sits on a tapering shaft, sub-rectangular in cross-section, which holds the remnants of a broken suspension loop at its terminal. The head is decorated with sub-rectangular punchmarks, four arranged in a square in its centre and three in a row on each side. Three of the punches appear to have round pellets within them.
Notes:
The object was found in 1993 (before the start of the Treasure Act 1996) and was donated by the finder and landowner to Leicestershire Museums. When found it was the fourth one known from England.
It was found close to the Thurcaston Viking coin hoard, LEIC-C6D945.
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Class: Thor's hammer
Current location of find: Charnwood museum, Loughborough
Subsequent action after recording: Donated to a museum
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture:
Viking style
Date from: Circa AD 850
Date to: Circa AD 1100
Quantity: 1
Length: 29 mm
Width: 21 mm
Thickness: 4 mm
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Museum accession number: L.A151.1993.0.0
Primary material: Silver
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Stamped
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.