Intersting Indian? Axe

[Andy Stevens]

This was a very cheap Ebay buy , it just looked intersting in the photos and I thought what the hell! The seller had it listed as being Indian and I thought it could be some type of Tabor or saddle axe.

The object is 87cm long . The head is 14cm x 8 cm and decorated with eye brow and star like markings. One of these stars has what looks like a trailing comets tail ?. The blade has been capped in brass. The head has been very well set into the haft with a figure 8 wedge.

The haft has been burnt decorated into a rather nice Tiger stripe effect. The brass plated area at the top has a series of eyes attached to which the seller thinks feathers would have been attached? The bottom of the object terminates in a iron spike.

[Tim Simmons]

Hello Andy, These are swine herders axes from eastern europe. Here is a picture from a book on Hungarian peasant art. I have seen dealers trying to sell them as an Indian horsemans axe what ever that is? Tim

[ariel]

Tim beat me by tha-a-at much!
I agree: this is a Carpathian/Valachian axe. In a way, it is very similar to what the Swiss and S. Germans call alpenstock: a mix of a walking stick and a small axe for mountaineering.
Wish Radu was here: straight from his childhood.

[Tim Simmons]

Hi ariel, I have seen some very pretty old examples of these axes that I should have bought. I do not think Andys one to be that old. Tim

[ingelred]

This is an axe / walking stick combination which seems to be very common across eastern Europe and the Alps. In the annual Knives 2002 there is an article about these walking sticks.

Greetings, Helge

[not2sharp]

It's a European walking stick/ice axe

n2s

[Jim McDougall]

This axe is extremely interesting regardless of its age because of the fascinating history associated with it, being from such seldom represented regions as Carpathia and Wallachia. I found the ringlets attached to the back of the head intriguing as they recalled similar decorative motif I had seen on something else. After one of my usual adventures desperately trying to remember what it was I saw and the swath of debris in ever mounting piles of notes, files and books pulled out I finally found something
The decorative rings on the back of the head are similar to lines of studded motif on ancient axes found as early as 2000 BC in Persia, and are termed 'horsehead axes' by archaeologists noting the resemblance by thier appearance. These are described in "Chinese Bronze Age Weapons" (Max Loehr, 1956, p.27).

Naturally I am not suggesting any direct link or heritage here, but simply found the possibility of distant ancient influence interesting. It is also interesting that many ceremonial weapons in India were mounted with rings, jingles etc. that served symbolically in religious ceremony. Here it is tempting to draw further associations to the ever intriguing Gypsy heritage that has such key importance in the Eastern European sphere, and its elusive connections to ancient India.

These suggestions of course offer no proven links between this axe and references to these early weapons, however the ideas and associations may prove interesting in pursuing further research.

I know I would certainly like to know more on these walking stick/axes and to see more examples. If anyone else has examples I'd very much appreciate seeing them, and if there are references that might tell more on their history and use.

Excellent example Andy, thank you for posting it!! and nice work on the identification Tim and Ariel....you guys are quick !

All the best,
Jim

[zalmoxis]

This axes types are to be found in mountain regions from Poland if I am not mistaken Zakopane area. They were sold and I think are sold as a climbing cane but the shape is after very old axes of the area. No Carpathian/Valachian because I grow up there :-). Transylvanian axes look a bit different but going towards Slovakia they start to look like this.

[zalmoxis]

Ariel who is Radu sounds like a guy from my country?