Ciupaga (Shepherd's axe)

[kronckew]

Picked this one up from ebay, it's from Zakopane in southern poland, not far from the slovakian border. (i've got three others plus a few steel fokos which are similar). one of my grannys came from not too far away - when it was part of austria-hungary. i was hooked by the eagle head spike opposite the blade, which is brass. (alpine spike on the butt of the haft). they normally have a flat poll.

they used to make them out of steel, sharpened, and used by the shepherds to defend against wolves. 4 as well as 2 legged. also used to end disputes. or as a hiking stick, it's primary purpose. they degenerated to brass as the authorities started to frown on sharp steel weapons being carried by the lower classes. the shepherds, having little to do most of the time, would carve the hafts into elaborate decorations, and colour them.

more recently they are mostly made entirely out of wood and the decorations are painted on - for those who travel. sadly, the metal headed ones no longer used (openly) as weapons, tho still carried by some traditionalist shepherds & farmers. about a metre long.