5400Y. O:RARITY AXE 175mms DANISH STONE AGE NEOLITHIC FLINT FUNNEL BEAKER CULTURE
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:13778 | Material: Stone |
| Provenance: Ownership History Available |
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EUROPEAN PREHISTORIC ARTIFACTS
BY PALATINA AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEED!
This wonderful Neolithic flint ( silex ) artifact is a
"Thin butted axe ( ax ) type VI with slightly expanding edge corners"
Belonging to the latest part of Early Funnel Beaker Culture, the TRB I,
also called Dolmen Culture (megalith tomb culture) 4000-3400 bc.
The Neolithic Funnel Beaker Period (4000-2800 BC):
Agriculture and anima...l husbandry were introduced in Denmark c. 4000 BC. Wheat and barley were grown and oxen, sheep, goats and pigs domesticated. Large parts of the land were cultivated during the oldest peasant culture, 4000-2800 BC, and the earliest farmers were energetic builders. They constructed large assembly areas surrounded by moats and palisades like the one found near Sarup on Funen. They also built the oldest stone burial monuments, the dolmens and the passage graves, many thousands of which have been preserved in Denmark. Flint mines were opened and a whole new industry emerged which specialised in the production of elegant, polished flint axes. Large numbers of offerings have been found, including clay pots, flint tools and amber ornaments, and there is evidence of human and animal sacrifices. The first metal was brought into the country from Central Europe in the shape of simple ornaments and flat axe heads made of copper.
Thin-butted flint axes, possesing gently convex sides and edges, and often only slightly curved blade and edges sloping evenly to a broadthin butt; the cross-section of the primary type is therefore a gentlyrounded rectangle, though some examples possess so narrow edges thatthe cross-section becomes a pointed oval. This ax is the characteristicwork-ax of the Early Neolithic period and a very large number ofspeciems is known from settlements, dolmens, earth graves and votive deposits over the whole country. They are normally 10-20 cms. long, though the largest measure up to 46 cms. Many speciems are considerably shorter than their original length as a result of use and resharpening;This is especially true of settlements finds, while the long and completely undamaged specimens, often found in groups of a numbertogether, come from votive deposits. The axes are completely polished on both sides and both edges, only slight traces of the flakingremaining. The butt end, however, is often unpolished and even in some cases bears traces of cortex. A heavier type with poorer polishing onthe edges belongs to the beginning of the middle neolithic period.Similar types are found over a large area of Western Europe, whencethe two-sided type is derived, and in Northern Germany.This type is undoubtedly based upon axes of metal, though theirderivation is seen most clearly in the related stone axes. Once the shape was transposed to flint the demands of efficiency in use caused
a rapid evolution into the characteristic nordic type.
The type VI-ax has, as well as the types IV and V, a thin and blunt butt end.
In contrast to the type IV and typ V axes is the
type VIlarger in the small- and the breadth-sides.
With the large Neolithic axes like this, it was possible to cut down an oak treewith a diameter of 45 cms (17.72 inches) within one hour, it took 12 hours for one Stone Age worker to cut down 500 square meters of oak forest.
This was the beginning of one of the most important
revolutions, from hunter and gatherer to farmer.
Provenance is an old collection.
More details will follow the artifact.
I guarantee absolutely for the authenticity of
this fantastic ax from the Younger Stone Age.
Please view also my other auctions with relics
from the European Prehistory.
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