Questions about Mjölnir

Short answers, pulled from the story.

What is the origin of the name Mjölnir in Norse mythology?

Historical linguists have debated the root of the term Mjöllnir for decades without reaching a single conclusion. One proposed derivation connects the name to Old Church Slavonic mlunuji and Russian molnija which mean lightning suggesting the hammer was originally named as a lightning-maker or a weapon that creates thunder. Another theory links the word to Old Norse mjöll meaning new snow and modern Icelandic mjalli meaning the color white under this interpretation the name translates to shining lightning weapon.

When did Thor use his hammer to resurrect goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr according to the Prose Edda?

A tale recorded in the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning recounts how Thor resurrected two goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr after one was eaten during a meal with peasants. Thor raised the hammer to bless the goat skins though one remained lame due to a broken bone. This event demonstrates the hammer's function as a means of sanctifying or hallowing beyond its role as a fearsome weapon.

Where were copper amulets featuring an inscription invoking Thor found and when do they date from?

A small copper amulet found in Öland Sweden dates from the 11th century and features an inscription invoking Thor and his hammer. Runologists Mindy MacLeod and Bernard Mees translate the text as a plea for help and protection against evil. The Kvinneby amulet references narratives recorded hundreds of years later in both the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda.

Who proposed typologies for Mjölnir pendants unearthed across Nordic countries England northern Germany and Russia?

German archaeologist Jörn Staecker proposed a typology for these finds based on decorative style and material properties in 1999. American scholar Katherine Suzanne Beard extended this typology in 2019 using factors like hammer shape and suspension type. Beard launched the online database Eitri: The Norse Artifacts Database that lists numerous hammer finds and their discovery context.

What did Adam of Bremen record about the statue of Thor at the Temple at Uppsala in Sweden during the 11th century?

The 11th century chronicler Adam of Bremen recorded that a statue of Thor sat in the Temple at Uppsala in Sweden. Adam details that Thor rules the sky and governs thunder lightning winds storms fine weather and fertility. He notes that priests offered sacrifices when plague or famine threatened.

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