The Vegvisir, or runic compass, was believed to have been carved into the wooden side of seafaring vessels of pre-Christian Scandinavian peoples such as Vikings, to ensure their guarded return home. It was said to hold protective properties for whatever item onto which it was inscribed, & for the people who made use of such items. A man was said never to become lost under the guidance of the symbol, nor could his spirit & mind be meddled with by the influence of sorcery or other malevolent forces, be they tangible or not. Along with the Helm of Awe, the Vegvisir can be a powerful icon for inspiring the safe voyages of both one's physical self & those voyages which occur on a more metaphysical or spiritual plain. It is as powerful & reassuring an emblem now as it was during the days when the human species did not have advanced technology or resources to assist them in finding their way, & relied upon more traditional & time-tested means that spoke instead to their hearts & gave them the bravery needed to pull through. The timeless symbol has been carefully burned into the wood of this wall mount, giving it an even more traditional & impactful appearance that better resembles the way that warriors of old might have etched the very same evocative images onto the vessels that they trusted to carry them safely across often treacherous & unknown seas. Overall the mount has been given a vivid gunstock stain, the better to fully exploit the naturalistic features of each line & curve. Every step of the process has been carried out entirely by hand, assuring that each piece will be inherently unique & perhaps slightly different from the rest. The basic qualities so prized by ancient Germanic peoples remains throughout all of them, however. Each purchase comes complete with a saw tooth hanging hook by which the mount can immediately be added to whatever collection of decor is in need of protection, guidance or just a bit of vintage Norse flavour. Approximate Dimensions: Length: 7 1/2 Width: 7 1/2 Thickness: 7/8 Vegvisir - Wall Mount Norse Compass Wooden Decor Burn Etching Runes Helm Of Awe Scandinavian Icelandic Handmade Item