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Old 4th April 2008, 04:13 PM   #1
fernando
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Default 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
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Old 4th April 2008, 05:41 PM   #2
katana
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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
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Old 4th April 2008, 06:00 PM   #3
Battara
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Katana your picture is so helpful.......
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Old 5th April 2008, 07:50 AM   #4
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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.
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Old 5th April 2008, 12:17 PM   #5
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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.


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Old 5th April 2008, 01:40 PM   #6
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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.
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