Very Rare Early Anglo - Scandinavian Viking Shield - Maiden Axe Hatchet Decorated
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:12611 | Colour: Waxed grey black steel |
| Type: Axes | Material: Cast Iron |
| Provenance: AP Private Collection formed in the 1990s |
Visit Our ShopAdd To Saved SellersJoin Our NewsletterContact UsExtremely Rare Early Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Melee Axe Hatchet DecoratedDescriptionNB: This is a 7-day auction and dispatch will occur after the 16th July when I return from a working vacation in the Thetford, Norfolk area: Date: Circa:9th Century AD: North Norfolk – Thetford / Croxton Area:Size: lengthrear haft to blade at 10 cm: blade length at 9 cm: weight at 131.62 grams: I cannot prove that this axe... was the property of a Shield Maiden however, I stronglysuspect it was: I base this suspicion of the form and size of the axe orperhaps better described as a hatchet and the type used in close quatre combat and ideal for throwing: The axe-hatchet is too small for a malewarrior and unlikely to be for a child, thus, a woman is the obvious choice: this makes this an extremely rare example and the mysterious decoration adds to this rarity and mystery: A shield-maiden [old Norse: skjaldmær] in Scandinavian folklore andmythology was a female warrior: They are mentioned in the sagas such as the Hervararsaga ok Heiðreks and in Gesta Danorum. Shield-maidens also appear in stories of other Germanic peoples:Goths, Cimbri, and Marcomanni.The axe-hatchet is of an unusualform and does not correspond with Petersen’s 1919 typology, which focuses uponthe larger masculine types A through to M, however, it is unlikely back in theearly 20th century that female Viking warriors were considered veryseriously and a typology may never have been formed: The axe-hatchet has been carefullyoxide conserved, and the emphasis of 'carefully' is stressed here: While mostutilitarian axes were not decorated some were and also named: when approaching conservationthis is always born in mind: A mechanical oxide removal will almost alwaysdestroy aged and underlying decoration: Thus a slow process can and doessometimes reveal details as seen here: The decoration is seen in the form of a series of eighteen small circular forge-punched depressions to the rear of the axe blade: Condition:Extremely Fine given the great age – Conserved via oxide reduction/removal and preservationfollowing museum grade micro-waxing:there is some feathering and oxide nibbling to the upper aspect of the blade, which can be appreciated from the macro generated photography: Provenance: Theaxe-hatched was recovered in a rural agricultural context in 1992 close to thevillage of Croxton [East Anglia], which is very close to Thetford: Thetfordis possibly relevant as it was here that TheGreat Heathen Army camped in the winter of AD 865 and this date iscontemporary with this axe-hatchet: see picture 7 for details:Copyright Ancient Pasts | All rights reservedShippingUK Royal Mail Special Delivery: International Royal Mail Tracked and Signed:ReturnsAvailable please contact us for Terms and Conditions:PaymentWe accept payment via Debit & Credit Card and PayPal. All transactions are 100% secure.
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