Viking Mammen Axe 0410471500

The so-called Mammen axe, considered one of the most remarkable and beautiful archaeological finds of the Viking Age, was recovered from a 10th-century burial mound in Mammen (near Viborg) in Jutland, Denmark.
The Viking Age art style of the same name (c. 950-1030 – a continuation of the Jelling style characterized by animal motifs, with the gradual introduction of more vegetal and significantly less geometric elements) owes its name to this unique gem.
The men's tomb, from which the magnificent Viking axe and many other precious artifacts originate, is dated around
970/971 AD and was probably the final resting place of a wealthy man of high, even princely, status. The small iron axe is richly decorated with engravings inlaid with silver, niello and gold foil, suggesting that it might have been a ritual weapon or for display rather than a mere combat or throwing axe. It remains open whether the motifs adorning the axe blade on both sides are of Christian or pagan influence.

On one side, an elaborate pattern of tendrils can be seen, which can be understood as a representation of the Christian Tree of Life or the world ash Yggdrasil from Norse mythology. The other side shows an intricate bird-like creature that could embody both a phoenix (as a symbol of Christ's resurrection) and Gullinkambi, the rooster at the top of Yggdrasil that awakens the Einherjar in Valhalla every day and will crow to the gods and warriors to announce the beginning of Ragnarök. The original piece, as well as many other additions and textile remains from the so-called Mammen find or Mammenfund (Danish: Mammenfundet) can be admired in the Danish National Museum (Nationalmuseet) in Copenhagen.

In the beautiful Viking axe we offer here, the engraved and highly detailed motifs and patterns
that adorned the original silver-exchanged artifact have been reproduced as faithfully as possible. The axe head made of carbon steel has an unsharpened cutting edge 10 cm long and is mounted on a 41 cm long wooden handle.
It should be noted that this early medieval axe is not suitable for show fighting, but is primarily intended as a collector's item or decorative object.
It is also great as an accessory, e.g. to complete your costume, and will make your transformation into a proud warrior simply perfect.

Details: - Blade material: carbon steel (not rust-free!), unsharpened - Handle material: ash wood - Total length (axe): approx. 41 cm - Axe blade: approx. 16 x 10 cm - Blade thickness: approx. 1 cm (approx. 0.5 cm in front of the cutting edge) - Axe thickness: approx. 2.5 x 1.3 cm - Weight: approx. 520 g - Delivery is without sheath
The above specifications may vary slightly from specimen to specimen.
The steel used here is not rust-free
and may have slight traces of corrosion. We recommend regularly caring for the blade, e.g. with Ballistol, a universal oil that is ideal for preserving steel products.