Huge southeast european battle axe

[AHorsa]

Thanks a lot for your replies gentlemen!

Thanks for the image from the museum in Ljubljana, Victrix. Can you tell how the sword with the crosses on the crossguard is dated on the information-plate?

The link to the Byzantine empire is very interesting. If ound this image of the Varangian Guard, showing indeed a similar shape of the axes blade.

Is it possible that those half-moon shaped axe heads stem originally from the Indo-persian and Ottoman region (like the Tabar), then was adopted in the border regions (like Byzanz) and later in central europe (like you can see on this image: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/345580971384969527/ )?

Best regards
Andreas

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by AHorsa

Thanks a lot for your replies gentlemen!

Thanks for the image from the museum in Ljubljana, Victrix. Can you tell how the sword with the crosses on the crossguard is dated on the information-plate?

The link to the Byzantine empire is very interesting. If ound this image of the Varangian Guard, showing indeed a similar shape of the axes blade.

Is it possible that those half-moon shaped axe heads stem originally from the Indo-persian and Ottoman region (like the Tabar), then was adopted in the border regions (like Byzanz) and later in central europe (like you can see on this image: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/345580971384969527/ )?

Best regards
Andreas

The National History Museum of Slovenia sword in Ljubljana is 15thC Gothic. I also found a picture of halberds with perforated crosses in the Armoury in Graz, Austria. I would argue that the axe looks Central/East European. The perforated Latin cross and trefoil perforations look Gothic, and the beak looks Indo-Persian which you can sometimes find on Hungarian/Polish war hammers (Ottoman influence).

I’m not sure what arms the Varangian guards used, but they were Vikings (from my part of the world) and presumably used viking axes. At the later stages many Anglo-Saxons were recruited to the Varangian guard. The cross on the axe looks Latin to me, but perhaps there were used in Byzance also.

[kronckew]

Many Húskarls from the British Saxons relocated post 1066 to the Varangian Guard, they paid well. And took their large Dane axes with them. The bayaux tapestry shows them decapitating horses with them. The drawing above shows a variety of axes, including what i think may be Swedish style Viking axes, the ones with the heads on a sharp bend at the business end of the haft. The others look like a mix of styles. I found another Varagian guard illustrated with s crescent bladed axe and rear spike, but no crosses cut in it... Might have picked it up in his travels from Hastings. Maybe a son or grandson had the cross cut in or ordered a new axe...also showing is a double bladed Byzantine axe wit two crosses... And a single bladed one with a sq. hammer poll...

The Turks ended them in 1453 when they finally made it thru the formidable walls - by treachery I hear - and the last eastern Roman Emperor put on his armour and at the head of his guard charged the incoming Turks slaughtering many before disappearing from history. They never found his body.

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by kronckew

Many Húskarls from the British Saxons relocated post 1066 to the Varangian Guard, they paid well. And took their large Dane axes with them. The bayaux tapestry shows them decapitating horses with them. The drawing above shows a variety of axes, including what i think may be Swedish style Viking axes, the ones with the heads on a sharp bend at the business end of the haft. The others look like a mix of styles. I found another Varagian guard illustrated with s crescent bladed axe and rear spike, but no crosses cut in it... Might have picked it up in his travels from Hastings. Maybe a son or grandson had the cross cut in or ordered a new axe...also showing is a double bladed Byzantine axe wit two crosses... And a single bladed one with a sq. hammer poll...

The Turks ended them in 1453 when they finally made it thru the formidable walls - by treachery I hear - and the last eastern Roman Emperor put on his armour and at the head of his guard charged the incoming Turks slaughtering many before disappearing from history. They never found his body.

I’m not too familiar with Byzantine arms and armour. Archaelogical finds suggest that vikings serving Constantinople often used their personal arms (swords and axes), but I can’t rule out that they were also issued Byzantine arms and seems logical that this was the case especially for palace guard and parade duties. Care should be taken in considering provenance of historical items.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by Victrix

... Care should be taken in considering provenance of historical items.

Especially with Vendor/Auctioneer descriptions that can be wildly wrong. Caveat Emptor

[AHorsa]

Originally Posted by Victrix

I’m not too familiar with Byzantine arms and armour. Archaelogical finds suggest that vikings serving Constantinople often used their personal arms (swords and axes), but I can’t rule out that they were also issued Byzantine arms and seems logical that this was the case especially for palace guard and parade duties. Care should be taken in considering provenance of historical items.

I think the regular army might have used local arms and armour.

In 2009 the axe on discussion and a couple of similar pieces wearing a cross were sold at Hermann Historica: http://www.hermann-historica-archiv.de/ Maybe it was a hoard?
I will write them a mail asking what made them locate it in southeast europe and if they have more information. Maybe they can remember.

Interesting to see a nearly identical axe on the foto from ebay / picclick. The seller is from Serbia. So it would fit the attributed region. The double bladed axe looks somehow odd. I don´t think it is a real piece.

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by AHorsa

I think the regular army might have used local arms and armour.

In 2009 the axe on discussion and a couple of similar pieces wearing a cross were sold at Hermann Historica: http://www.hermann-historica-archiv.de/ Maybe it was a hoard?
I will write them a mail asking what made them locate it in southeast europe and if they have more information. Maybe they can remember.

Interesting to see a nearly identical axe on the foto from ebay / picclick. The seller is from Serbia. So it would fit the attributed region. The double bladed axe looks somehow odd. I don´t think it is a real piece.

Yes those ebay items look more dubious. I don’t think I would consider buying something “excavated” on ebay, especially not from Bulgaria and E.Europe. The item under discussion looks more interesting but probably wise to let an expert handle it in real life to verify it.

I attach another photo from Ljubljana of Schiavonesca swords which are massive in size. I think armed conflict in that region had very high stakes as mentioned previously, and that this is reflected in the scale and brutal functionality of the arms.

[AHorsa]

Thanks for sharing your impressions from Slovenia!

Originally Posted by Victrix

The item under discussion looks more interesting but probably wise to let an expert handle it in real life to verify it.

I am afraid that will be difficult as I don´t know an expert for axes, especially not in my area. I add more detailed images to this post. The traces of age look authentic to me, but most of you might have seen more than I did so it would be great to get your opinion. The weight is 945 gram.

Best regards
Andreas