Mjolnir, or Mjöllnir, was the hammer of the Norse thunder god Thor. It could summon deadly lightning bolts and return to its owner if thrown.
History[]
Origins[]
According to legends, the Mjolnir was crafted by a pair of dwarves. At 1.75 meters long and kilograms in weight, the Mjolnir was envisioned by some to be a two-handed battle-hammer decorated with jewels and made with precious metals. However, it was more likely considered to be a short hafted weapon with a thick granite head and leather thong attached to either side of a wooden handle which reflected the uncomplicated nature of Thor, the god who wielded it.[3] In actuality, it was made of gold.[2]
According to myth, Thor, Loki and their companions contested the giants for control of Mjolnir, but the giants ultimately cheated in their attempts to claim the hammer.[4]
Research[]
In the early 1930s, an unidentified archaeologist hired by the Smithsonian Institute to catalog (but not unearth) the world's artifacts traced Mjolnir's last location to be Trondheim in Norway and estimated its worth at $125,000. They depicted it in their journal as reflecting the less ornate design.[3]
Adolf Hitler was rumored to be in search of Mjolnir following Richard Wagner's inclusion of secret clues to the hammer's location within his opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. In addition to Nazi interest, Norwegian scholars wished to collect the artifact for the fame and find credence in Norse mythology. While the British sought to pre-empt possible Nazi recovery, the Norwegians recoiled against British involvement.[3]
Discovery[]
In April 3, 1939, the Mjolnir was found aboard the Nagelfahr by Klaus Erich, who had died and had returned as undead. As the longship wasfreed from the melting iceberg of Odinsland, an undead Erich was seen by Indiana Jones at its helm with the hammer of Thor in his hand, attacking with lightning. Mabel Rosenfeld managed to seize the hammer as they disappear into the mists of the sea, as at the same time a huge shimmering rainbow rose from the surface of the sea and led directly up to the sky.[2]
Appearances[]
- Indiana Jones und das Schiff der Götter (First appearance)
Sources[]
- Indiana Jones and the Rising Sun
- Indiana Jones Explores The Vikings (Non-fiction source)
- Indiana Jones Artifacts
