the ability to produce thunder and lightning, something that the Anglo-Saxons witnessed frequently, the power of Thunor. Spear Coming Soon |
a mighty hammer, and the Norse peoples themselves wore or carried symbols in the form of small hammer amulets in his honour. The Heathen Anglo-Saxons seem to have percieved their own thunger god, Thunor, similarly, and like the Norse they wore or carried his hammer symbol. And like the hammer amulet to the left, some were buried with their owners within Anglo-Saxon graves. To the Norse, Thors hammer was called Mjollnir, and had the power to produce thunder and lightning. Although there is no suviving evidence that the Anglo-Saxons had such a name for Thunor's hammer, it is very likely, similarly to Thor, that it represented his strength and power and had |
their weapons as there is an example of such found on a hilt and sword belt found in Kent. It could be that the Anglo-Saxons believed that carving the swastika upon their weapons gave it the power and strength of Thunor, or maybe the warrior carrying the weapon was blessed with Thunors protection during battle. Aswell as these more war-like symbolic religious uses of the swastika, we also find it carved on simple items such as brooches. Which could show that that the wearer of the brooch claimed Thunor as his/her patron god, or that at times the swastika was used simply as a form of decoration. Thunor's Hammer |
Fylfot The fylfot symbol, also known as the swastika, was a most sacred of symbols to the Heathen Anglo-Saxons, and all the pre-Christian peoples of Europe. The symbol itself has connections to both the worship of the sun and the thunder god Thunor. In England the fylfot |
Other Symbols |
Fylfot The fylfot symbol, also known as the swastika, was a most sacred of symbols to the Heathen Anglo-Saxons, and all the pre-Christian peoples of Europe. The symbol itself has connections to both the worship of the sun and the thunder god Thunor. In England the fylfot |
can be found in many places and carved on many objects throughout England. Amongst the Anglo-Saxons this particular symbol seems to have had very strong connections to burial, and maybe also the afterlife, for we find examples of it from graves, and carved on cremation urns from East Anglia. The Anglo-Saxons also carved the swastika upon |
their weapons as there is an example of such found on a hilt and sword belt found in Kent. It could be that the Anglo-Saxons believed that carving the swastika upon their weapons gave it the power and strength of Thunor, or maybe the warrior carrying the weapon was blessed with Thunors protection during battle. Aswell as these more war-like symbolic religious uses of the swastika, we also find it carved on simple items such as brooches. Which could show that that the wearer of the brooch claimed Thunor as his/her patron god, or that at times the swastika was used simply as a form of decoration. Thunor's Hammer |
a mighty hammer, and the Norse peoples themselves wore or carried symbols in the form of small hammer amulets in his honour. The Heathen Anglo-Saxons seem to have percieved their own thunger god, Thunor, similarly, and like the Norse they wore or carried his hammer symbol. And like the hammer amulet to the left, some were buried with their owners within Anglo-Saxon graves. To the Norse, Thors hammer was called Mjollnir, and had the power to produce thunder and lightning. Although there is no suviving evidence that the Anglo-Saxons had such a name for Thunor's hammer, it is very likely, similarly to Thor, that it represented his strength and power and had |
The Heathen Norse perceived Thor, their thunder god, as the bearer of |
the ability to produce thunder and lightning, something that the Anglo-Saxons witnessed frequently, the power of Thunor. Spear Coming Soon |
This page was last
updated on: July 22,
2003
