VIKING IRON BATTLE AXE HEAD

Ca. 900-1100 AD. An iron bearded axe head with an elongated, heavy blade and a round socket. One side of the blade features an etched, vertically oriented decoration. The bearded axe was common from the 6th century AD onwards in Scandinavia but was made most famous by the Vikings, who used these axes in a battle to terrible effect. Bearded axes are named for the fact that the main part of the axe blade extends below the butt of the axe, creating a large cutting blade and allowing a fighter to hook onto the shields or weapons of his (or her) opponents. Further information on Viking axes can be found in Petersen, Jan (1919). De Norske Vikingesverd. Kristiania. Size: L:172mm / W:160mm ; 845g Provenance: Private UK collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections.