New Artwork from AlgizRune Art: The Runic Hammer of Købelev – “This Is a Hammer”

Inspired by one of the most remarkable Viking discoveries of the 21st century, AlgizRune Art proudly presents a new historical artwork: The Købelev Runic Mjölnir, recreated in honor of the only known Viking-age Thor’s Hammer that literally speaks through runes.

In 2014, a metal detectorist uncovered a tiny hammer amulet in a quiet field on the Danish island of Lolland — just 2.5 cm across, yet powerful enough to settle a centuries-old debate. While more than a thousand Viking “hammer” pendants are known from Scandinavia, the UK, Russia, and the Baltic, none had ever carried a runic inscription. Until this one.

When the National Museum of Denmark examined it under a microscope, runologist Lisbeth Imer revealed the message carved into its silver-plated surface:

“Hmar is.”
“This is a hammer.”

A direct, unmistakable declaration of identity from the 10th century.

Our new AlgizRune Art creation pays tribute to this extraordinary artefact. The original inscription was only 3–7 mm high, carved with charming imperfections — a missing a in hamar and a reversed s rune — human traces left by a Viking craftsman working with tough bronze, dim light, and steady devotion.

Why This Artwork Matters

The Købelev Mjölnir is the only historical hammer that confirms its meaning in writing. It represents:

• Norse faith during the age of conversion

• The power of the artisan’s hand and mind

• A rare example of literacy woven into everyday craftsmanship

• A direct link between mythology and archaeology

Thor’s hammers were protectors, blessings, and identity symbols — worn across the Viking world. But only this one tells us, in its own runes, exactly what it is.

A Tribute to the Viking Craftsman

Archaeologists found signs of a nearby workshop: silver needles, a brooch matrix — evidence that a jeweler once worked on that land. Perhaps it was that very artisan who cast the hammer and carved the inscription. Perhaps he made it for a woman, a traveler, a warrior, or a child.

We will never know his name.
But with this artwork, we honor his voice — preserved in bronze for a thousand years.

The AlgizRune Interpretation

Our recreation follows the original proportions, interlace decoration, and the legendary inscription. This is not a fantasy design. It is a tribute to a real historical artefact that reshaped our understanding of Viking symbolism.

A whisper from the past becomes a work of art for the present:
“Yes. I am Thor’s hammer.”