Thor's hammer in two kinds of evidence
Mjölnir is familiar through stories of Thor defending the world against dangerous forces. Archaeologists also find hammer-shaped pendants from the Viking Age. These are related but distinct types of evidence: one is literary, the other material.
What the pendants show
The National Museum of Denmark identifies Thor's hammer jewelry among the archaeological traces of pre-Christian beliefs. A pendant documents the popularity of a symbol, but cannot reveal the complete convictions of every individual wearer.
When were the stories written?
The Poetic Edda and Prose Edda preserve crucial narratives, yet their surviving written forms come from medieval Iceland after conversion to Christianity. That does not make them worthless; it means that their distance from the Viking Age must be acknowledged.
Was Norse religion uniform?
Practice varied across places and times. Local traditions, rituals and interactions with Christianity complicate any picture of a single timeless Viking faith. Thor's hammer may have carried different associations depending on owner and setting.
Reading the symbol today
Modern depictions of Mjölnir are creative interpretations of a rich tradition. An archaeological pendant, a medieval narrative and a contemporary emblem should not be presented as interchangeable.