Who is the blacksmith who forges the Sampo in the Kalevala?

The blacksmith who forges the Sampo in the Kalevala is Ilmarinen.

Ilmarinen is the epic’s master smith and archetypal inventor. He is portrayed as immortal and able to work extraordinary metals, making him the natural creator of magical objects. His major achievements include forging the dome of the sky and constructing the Sampo, the mysterious device at the center of the struggle between Kalevala and Pohjola.

In the Sampo episode, Väinämöinen tells Louhi, the mistress of Pohjola, that Ilmarinen can make the device. Ilmarinen is brought to Pohjola, where he works at a forge for several days. After rejecting several dangerous or defective creations, he finally produces the Sampo, a magic mill that generates grain, salt, and gold.

Ilmarinen is often confused with Väinämöinen because both are principal heroes and both are involved in the Sampo’s story. Väinämöinen is the wise singer who helps arrange its creation, while Ilmarinen is the craftsman who physically forges it. Lemminkäinen later joins the expedition to recover the Sampo, but he is not its maker.