Please help on bronze axes

fernando · 4th April 2008, 05:13 PM

I have made an offer on these two items so long ago, that i thaught i wouldn't get them any more.
I don't know if they could be considered weapons, although weapons in the old days were the daily utensiles, such as these

.
Ethnographic they are, for sure ... if not knockoffs

The price i have paid for them ( among other stuff in a lot ) would be a bargain assuming they are the real thing, or a disaster if they are a forgery.
Anyone in this forum familiar with these things ?
The larger one measures 25 cms ( 10" ) and the other, 22 cms ( 8 1/2" ).
Thanks a lot for your coments.
Fernando

katana · 4th April 2008, 06:41 PM

Hi Fernando

,
interesting axe heads ....these particular heads are called Palstave axes, the first one seems to have a 'hammer head' at one end.... on which I can find no info. These could be older than you think....many bronze age axe heads were never used but placed as 'grave goods' for the deceased ...to use in the after life

See this ....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

Kind Regards David

Battara · 4th April 2008, 07:00 PM

Katana your picture is so helpful.......

kronckew · 5th April 2008, 08:50 AM

the top one seems to have the sprue still attached from the original pouring of the mold. it would have to be cut off to enable the bent stave to be attached.

katana · 5th April 2008, 01:17 PM

Hi Kronckew

,
I did wonder about the top one ...I did consider the hammerhead to be the sprue, but... I have not found another example with two cast fixing loops. It suggests to me that this would have been fixed to a shaft in a more complex way and the only reason I could see was that the 'hammerhead' prevented 'normal' attachment to a haft.

Kind Regards David

kronckew · 5th April 2008, 02:40 PM

the other possibility is that it is to be used as a chisel rather than a palstave axe.

this one (right) is so described at LibraryIreland

looks kinda big for that tho.

my favourite bronze axe was this style luristan axe (pic from internet)

the axe haft i've drawn in to show how it was mounted with the point in the direction of swing and the edge trailing, must have been good for penetrating any intervening armour. almost bought a replica a few yrs. back. kick myself for not having done so.

4th April 2008, 05:13 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Please help on bronze axes I have made an offer on these two items so long ago, that i thaught i wouldn't get them any more. I don't know if they could be considered weapons, although weapons in the old days were the daily utensiles, such as these . Ethnographic they are, for sure ... if not knockoffs The price i have paid for them ( among other stuff in a lot ) would be a bargain assuming they are the real thing, or a disaster if they are a forgery. Anyone in this forum familiar with these things ? The larger one measures 25 cms ( 10" ) and the other, 22 cms ( 8 1/2" ). Thanks a lot for your coments. Fernando Attached Images

4th April 2008, 06:41 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Fernando , interesting axe heads ....these particular heads are called Palstave axes, the first one seems to have a 'hammer head' at one end.... on which I can find no info. These could be older than you think....many bronze age axe heads were never used but placed as 'grave goods' for the deceased ...to use in the after life See this .... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770 Kind Regards David Attached Images

4th April 2008, 07:00 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,222	Katana your picture is so helpful.......

5th April 2008, 08:50 AM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	the top one seems to have the sprue still attached from the original pouring of the mold. it would have to be cut off to enable the bent stave to be attached.

5th April 2008, 01:17 PM	#5
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Kronckew , I did wonder about the top one ...I did consider the hammerhead to be the sprue, but... I have not found another example with two cast fixing loops. It suggests to me that this would have been fixed to a shaft in a more complex way and the only reason I could see was that the 'hammerhead' prevented 'normal' attachment to a haft. Kind Regards David

5th April 2008, 02:40 PM	#6
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	the other possibility is that it is to be used as a chisel rather than a palstave axe. this one (right) is so described at LibraryIreland looks kinda big for that tho. my favourite bronze axe was this style luristan axe (pic from internet) the axe haft i've drawn in to show how it was mounted with the point in the direction of swing and the edge trailing, must have been good for penetrating any intervening armour. almost bought a replica a few yrs. back. kick myself for not having done so.