This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Trekphiler (talk | contribs) at 04:43, 3 October 2017 (Undid revision 802658214 by 185.81.108.196 (talk) rvv). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 04:43, 3 October 2017 by Trekphiler (talk | contribs) (Undid revision 802658214 by 185.81.108.196 (talk) rvv)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)This whole article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this whole article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Ukonvasara" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2006) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Finnish. (February 2017) Click for important translation instructions.
|
Ukonvasara, or Ukonkirves, is the symbol and magical weapon of the Finnish thunder god Ukko, similar to Thor's Mjölnir. Ukonvasara means hammer of Ukko; similarly, Ukonkirves means axe of Ukko. It was said that Ukko created lightning with Ukonvasara. Pagan Finns sometimes carry hammer or axe pendants around their necks, much like Christians sometimes wear crosses.
Ukko's hammer was probably a boat-shaped stone axe originally. When stone tools were abandoned with the advent of metalworking, the origins of stone weapons became a mystery. Stone axes, so-called thunderstones (ukonvaaja in Finnish), were found in the ground, especially after drenching rains washed away dirt. They were believed to be weapons of Ukko, stone heads of the striking lightning. Shamans collected and held stone-axes because they were believed to hold the power to both heal and damage.
This article relating to a European folklore is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |