Three of the elements discovered in Scandinavia: holmium, thulium and thorium, the first two discovered in Sweden (in the minerals from the famous mine at Ytterby which yielded eight others) and the third in a mineral from Norway.
Holmium is named for Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, and I have represented it with the three crowns that form the national emblem of Sweden.
Thulium is named for the mythical land of Thule, the location of which has changed over the centuries. In ancient times it was the name given by Greeks and Romans to the lands farthest north, possibly the Orkneys or the Norwegian Island of Smøla. Later it became associated with Iceland and Greenland. In literature the phrase ‘Ultima Thule’ came to mean any place beyond the boundaries of the known world. Whichever of these northern locations it might be, the Vikings travelled between them in their traditional longboats.
Thorium is of course named for the Norse god of thunder, Thor. He is represented by his enchanted hammer, Mjölnir. As well as lending his name to the element, we also find it in our day name Thursday.
periodically.blog 