This small pewter hammer dates from the 10th century, and was found on the Danish island of Lolland. It is the only one to be found with the runic inscription which says 'Hammer Is' (HAMAR + IS). The spelling is interesting, as a letter A is missing, and the S is reversed- presumably by the jeweler to make the design more symmetrical, or that their spelling was not very good.
 
The inscription is also upside down when the hammer is suspended, so the inscription is presumably meant to be read when it is held with the head upwards.
 
The design on the front has been interpreted from the original, and appears to show a bird-like face in the Borre style.
 
Gilding, or gold plating, was carried out on many jewellery items in the Viking age, using the mercury gilding process. This piece has a 1micron thick layer of gold, plated over pewter, to give an attractive representation of what some of these Viking age pieces may have looked like when they were first made.
 
This pendant is supplied on a length of black chord. Castin lead lead free pewter in Scotland, and then gold plated.
 
Made and handled by Asgard.