Sampo

This article is about a mythological artifact from Finnish mythology. For one of the main districts of Tampere, see Sampo (district). For other uses, see Sampo (disambiguation).

The Theft of the Sampo, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, 1897

In Finnish mythology, the Sampo (pronounced [ˈsɑmpo])[1] is a magical device or object described in many different ways that was constructed by the blacksmith Ilmarinen and that brought riches and good fortune to its holder, akin to the horn of plenty (cornucopia) of Greek mythology. When the Sampo was stolen, Ilmarinen's homeland fell upon hard times. He sent an expedition to retrieve it, but in the ensuing battle it was smashed and lost at sea.

  1. ^ Sometimes known as Sammas (pronounced [ˈsɑmːɑs]) or Kirjokansi (pronounced [ˈkirjoˌkɑnsi])