The wolf cross hammer

The wolf cross or wolf hammer is a Viking Age silver piece of jewelry found in Foss, Iceland. The find is best known for scholars debating whether it is a Christian cross or a pagan Thors hammer.

The silver cross has three arms of equal length as well as a fourth longer cross arm with an animal head so that the cross can be hung on a necklace through the animal's mouth. The most common interpretation is that it is a wolf's head, which gave it the name wolf cross. The center of the cross is pierced by another cross

There are divided opinions as to whether one should interpret the wolf cross as a cross or as a special Icelandic model of Thors hammer. As the find is the only one of its kind, it is difficult to put it in an archaeological and historical context. What suggests it might be a pagan Thors hammer is the similarity to the hammer held by the famous Thor figure from Eyrarland outside Akureyri in northern Iceland. What speaks for it being a Christian cross is that apart from the wolf head, the wolf cross has great similarities to Irish crosses from the same period. In terms of form, it is a so-called Petrus cross, i.e. an upside down cross. A common view is therefore that the wolf cross is deliberately designed in an ambiguous way in order to function as both a Christian cross and a pagan hammer.

There are many modern commercial copies of the wolf cross with varying fidelity to the original, as the wolf cross is a popular necklace among people with an interest in history and especially the Viking Age. Among Icelanders, both Christians and Asa believers can be seen wearing the wolf cross. The wolf cross is also worn by rock musicians and archaeologists.

Image: A copy of the wolf cross.