The Norse/Germanic god of thunder, Thor was one of the most popular deities in the Medieval world. His popularity continues to the present day. In fact, you may even say that Thor is seeing a resurgence of popularity, and not just because of the Marvel movies that portray him as a sort of awkward frat boy from outer space. TV shows such as the Vikings, Game of Thrones, The Last Kingdom, etc. have stirred an interest in Thor and the other gods of old.
So most people are now familiar with Thor and his mighty hammer that he uses to smash frost giants back to the icy depths from whence they came. However, not everyone knows that Thor's hammer has a name, Mjölnir (pronounced: myol-neer), and that the image of Mjölnir was worn as a pendant around the necks of Vikings, Saxons, and other Germanic tribes. In fact, wearing a Mjölnir pendant for protection and strength was so popular that archaeologists continue to find them in Viking hot spots like Scandinavia, Ireland, and Scotland.
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| On the left is my original sketch (which you can view in it's entirety HERE), and on the right is the completed design after many hours of editing and tweaking. |
My latest design here is based on the Mjölnir pendant, which looks something like a downward facing arrow. I chose to decorate the hammer with interlacing patterns, skulls and faces. I think it gives it a tribal look, almost like a Viking totem pole. It's full of symbolism and meaning.
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| Skull close up |
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| Do you know who this is? The missing eye is your clue...? |
The symbols below the hammer are runes, the ancient writing of the Germanic tribes. The runes spell out "Mjölnir" in the Younger Futhark style. My research indicated that this is the most accurate style of rune to write out "Mjölnir" in (apparently the Elder Futhark pre-dates the worship of Thor by the Germanic tribes, and, therefore, the Elder Futhark does not contain runes necessary to spell out "Mjölnir" accurately).
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| Close up of the rune details |
Below the runes, you can see "Mjölnir" spelled out in contemporary fashion, although in a font that rather resembles runes as well.
Overall, I think this design well represents the power and strength of Thor in a stylish way. Buy one now and wear it proudly to connect yourself with history and to gain the thunder god's favor! ;)
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I usually go for black tees and black backgrounds to my designs, but this design looks really awesome in lighter colors as well!
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