PENDANT

Description: Possible Thor's hammer amulet made from a bright and shiny silver (see below for compositional analysis). It is made from a rod of rounded sub-rectangular section, one end hammered to form a flared, originally triangular, end. The other end of the rod is rectilinear, 2.9mm wide, and there is a small dimple in the very end. The rod is c. 27mm long, and is 2.2mm thick at most. The triangular end has a minimum thickness of 0.7mm; the upper edges are smooth and straight, but the lower edge is more wavy and irregular. The corners have been folded in on one face and hammered flat. All the edges appear to be unbroken, and there is no decoration visible on either face.

The resulting object is untidily made and is now rather battered; whether this comes from the original hammering or is post-manufacture damage is uncertain. It bears some resemblance to a small and heavily modified spoon, as well as to amulets of 'Thor's hammer' type, with the blunt-ended hammer head represented by the flattened and folded end, and the hammer handle by the original rod.

Dimensions: Length 38.4mm, maximum width 20.4mm, maximum thickness 2.2mm, weight 2.81g.

Analysis: Non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of the surface indicated a surface composition of approximately 97% silver, with copper and traces of gold and lead. This is within the expected range for Viking-age silver. The surface condition suggests that the object has been chemically cleaned, which is likely to affect the accuracy of the surface analysis.

Discussion: The identification of this as a Thor's hammer has to remain tentative, partly because it appears to have been recently cleaned of its patina, and partly because of its low standard of craftsmanship and lack of piercing for suspension. The rounded, sub-triangular form is not unlike examples of Thor's hammers from Denmark and Sweden, and although its battered condition makes it hard to be certain, there are perhaps some nicks as if the metal has been tested; this is characteristic of Viking-age precious-metal objects.

Date: Thor's hammers date to the Viking age and especially to a pre-Christian milieu, perhaps mid 9th to mid 10th century.