Viking Age Iron Socketted Bearded Axehead

CIRCA 10TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.

6 7/8 in. (788 grams, 17.5 cm).

With slender ridged blade and chin to the lower edge, round socket with rectangular flanges, flattened rear edge; professionally cleaned, conserved, and restored. [No Reserve]

Provenance

From the family collection of a South East London collector; formerly acquired in the late 1950s.

Literature

Cf. Hjardar, K. & Vike, V., Vikings at war, Oxford-Philadelphia, 2016, p.163Y, for typology, and p.164, for discussion.

Footnotes

The type appears to be related to the Y-type of Viking axes. Slavic battle-axes also came into use in Scandinavia, especially in the eastern part of Gotland, Sweden and Denmark. The old Norse word Taparöx probably come from Topor, the Slavic word for axe. Eastern axes are also characterised by an almost completely round hole for the shaft.

CONDITION

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LOT 1637