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The troll cross (Swedish trollkors) is an amulet bent from a single piece of iron, usually in the shape of a round bow ending in a cross-like loop. It is meant to protect its wearer from trolls, evil spirits and misfortune – iron was traditionally regarded in Norse folklore as a repelling force against supernatural beings.
The belief that iron protects against trolls, elves and other "hidden folk" is deeply rooted in Scandinavian folklore: people put iron in a child's cradle, over the door or in the stable. The troll cross condenses this old folk belief into a wearable sign – a piece of protection to hang around the neck.
Here honesty is needed: the troll cross as a concrete, bent amulet is not attested from the Viking Age. In its present form it became known in 20th-century Sweden – popularised by the smith Kari Erlands, who described it as an old family piece from her region. The underlying iron-protection belief is old; the symbol itself, as sold today, is modern.
"Wits must he have who wanders wide, but all is easy at home."Hávamál 5, after Henry A. Bellows 1923 (public domain)
How to tell real from invented signs is shown in our symbol overview – as is the honest look at Vegvísir & Ægishjálmr.
Norse symbols: real or invented? · Vegvísir & Ægishjálmr · The Triquetra · The Web of Wyrd · The Valknut.
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