Norse mythology

Mythical objects — Norse mythology

Mjolnir is a botched commission: the dwarfs forge it with a handle too short because Loki, in the shape of a fly, stung the smith at work. Each entry traces the object's origin — usually something extracted from the dwarfs — its powers and its part in the stories, from Thor's hammer to Odin's spear Gungnir. Amulets recovered from archaeological contexts are noted where they show how the motif was actually used. Other pieces from the dwarfs' hoard are still to be written up: the ring Draupnir that multiplies itself every ninth night, the folding ship Skidbladnir, the golden boar Gullinbursti, and Freyja's necklace Brísingamen.