Northern Europe, Viking / Norse culture, ca. 1000 CE. A socketed iron battle axe with a broad, curving blade that is almost certainly made of bog iron, iron that forms naturally in bogs after being washed by streams from nearby mountains. This was the primary source of iron for the Vikings, and some scholars have even argued that the need for more iron from bogs drove Viking expansion. Iron arms and armor in the Viking world were treasured objects that were frequently passed down from generation to generation; this axe may have been used for a hundred years or more before being buried with or deposited by its final owner. Comes with custom stand. Size: 8.25" L x 1.8" W x 2.9" H (21 cm x 4.6 cm x 7.4 cm); height on stand: 4.3" (10.9 cm)

Provenance: private Hagar Collection, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

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#122376

Corrosion, encrustation, and patina on metal surface. Form still clear.