Ciupaga (Shepherd's axe)

kronckew · 10th February 2015, 10:24 AM

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.

fernando · 10th February 2015, 12:06 PM

How old could this axe be, Wayne ?

kronckew · 10th February 2015, 03:59 PM

they sometimes have dates carved into them, i'll know more when it arrives. probably less than 100 yrs, ie. 'vintage' at a guess 40-50 yrs old.

they're from the mountain regions of Carpathia (werewolf and vampire counrty

) in Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania. they are called fokos, ciupga, rabanica, uobuszek, cekanka, or valaška, depending on the region. Generic term is 'shepherd's axe'.

some of my other shepherd's axes: assorted ages

the oldest i think is the tiger striped one, it has a brass head, fairly sharp edge, but has a sheet metal blade guard that covers the edge and is screwed on to the blade - a requirement added post ww1, i've heard. later/earlier ones dispense with it. later ones post ww2 are very dull, earlier ones were very sharp and dangerous, and generally steel. the earlier ones have a steel alpine spike with a tang set into a hole in the end and collared with a brass or steel bolster. later ones have an integral socketed spike stuck on the butt. i suspect the tiger stripe is from the 30's. the steel bearded fokos is fairly new. i hafted it am couple of years ago.

the one underneath with the ash haft still barked is made with a bronze head. the head was reportedly a roman one from the balkans that i got at a to-good-to-be-true price. i tell people it is so old that the haft has been replaced 5 times and the head twice.

fernando · 10th February 2015, 06:25 PM

Yes, 'vintage' ... and ethno !

kronckew · 10th February 2015, 07:37 PM

european ethno

kronckew · 15th February 2015, 12:29 PM

ciupaga arrived, semi-sharp brass head, haft well carved, 'ZAKOPANE' carved on one side, no date. brass but spike inset in butt, sheet brass bolster. languet and rings are brass, some tarnish between the rings & along the middle. brass head appears shiny new, but is covered in a clear varnish as is the wood.

appears to be a traditionally made ciupage for those who visit zakopane in their travels. latter half of the 20th c. or so...ie. fairly new. will make a nice hiking stick. i imagine it will scare the bears, panthers and wolves as i hike the wilds of the cotswold mountains here. i probably won't see a one, they'll be too scared.

10th February 2015, 10:24 AM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,153	Ciupaga (Shepherd's axe) 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. Attached Images

10th February 2015, 03:59 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,153	they sometimes have dates carved into them, i'll know more when it arrives. probably less than 100 yrs, ie. 'vintage' at a guess 40-50 yrs old. they're from the mountain regions of Carpathia (werewolf and vampire counrty ) in Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania. they are called fokos, ciupga, rabanica, uobuszek, cekanka, or valaška, depending on the region. Generic term is 'shepherd's axe'. some of my other shepherd's axes: assorted ages the oldest i think is the tiger striped one, it has a brass head, fairly sharp edge, but has a sheet metal blade guard that covers the edge and is screwed on to the blade - a requirement added post ww1, i've heard. later/earlier ones dispense with it. later ones post ww2 are very dull, earlier ones were very sharp and dangerous, and generally steel. the earlier ones have a steel alpine spike with a tang set into a hole in the end and collared with a brass or steel bolster. later ones have an integral socketed spike stuck on the butt. i suspect the tiger stripe is from the 30's. the steel bearded fokos is fairly new. i hafted it am couple of years ago. the one underneath with the ash haft still barked is made with a bronze head. the head was reportedly a roman one from the balkans that i got at a to-good-to-be-true price. i tell people it is so old that the haft has been replaced 5 times and the head twice. Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 10th February 2015 at 04:37 PM.

10th February 2015, 12:06 PM	#2
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,654	How old could this axe be, Wayne ?

10th February 2015, 06:25 PM	#4
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,654	Yes, 'vintage' ... and ethno !

10th February 2015, 07:37 PM	#5
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,153	european ethno

15th February 2015, 12:29 PM	#6
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,153	ciupaga arrived, semi-sharp brass head, haft well carved, 'ZAKOPANE' carved on one side, no date. brass but spike inset in butt, sheet brass bolster. languet and rings are brass, some tarnish between the rings & along the middle. brass head appears shiny new, but is covered in a clear varnish as is the wood. appears to be a traditionally made ciupage for those who visit zakopane in their travels. latter half of the 20th c. or so...ie. fairly new. will make a nice hiking stick. i imagine it will scare the bears, panthers and wolves as i hike the wilds of the cotswold mountains here. i probably won't see a one, they'll be too scared.