According to HR Ellis Davidson, the famous Mammen Axe from 10th century Mammen in Denmark was a ceremonial axe. The top features a "face with staring eyes and beard". This was a "method of representing the thunder god".
The patterns of the original axe are different on each side, done with inlaid silver. The socket has two deep grooves generating four raised platforms carrying the ornamentation.
The serpent on the blade was associated with Thor. Thor’s symbol was both an axe and a hammer. This axe was "probably associated with the cult of Thor". Due to its precious nature, it is unlikely to have been for battle.
Battle Axes in Viking Culture
The Dane axe is an early battle axe used during the Viking Age and early Middle Ages. It allowed for range as the long handle meant a Viking did not have to be close to strike. He could also use the heel to pull his opponent’s shield down.
Regular price $360.00. The long handle and thin blade created a fearsome weapon capable of damage to lightly armored opponents.
Some axe heads were elaborately decorated with precious metal inlays. The Mammen axe head is decorated on every flat surface with silver and gold inlays. It was found in a 971 rich grave. Typically, axeheads had a wedge-shaped cross section.
A bearded axe refers to axes used as early as the 6th century AD. It is commonly associated with Vikings. Axes were made of iron. They have been found in richly furnished warrior graves, as well as simple graves.
The Mammen axe motifs can be interpreted as Christian and pagan. A tree motif may symbolize the Tree of Life or Yggdrasil. An animal figure may be the rooster Gullinkambi or the Phoenix. Gullinkambi sits atop Yggdrasil and wakes Viking warriors.
Reproduction and Historical Significance
The beautiful axe offered closely reproduces the engraved motifs of the original. The unsharp steel axe head is 41 cm long on a wooden handle. It is for collecting/display, not battle.
The introduction of steel axes transformed warfare, making the Vikings feared warriors. The Viking axe was an important weapon, ideal for woodworking too with its broad blade.
Axes like the one from Mammen’s grave must have belonged to magnates, decorated with copper and silver inlay. There were also the later cross axes with a partial solid head featuring a cross motif. These were likely ceremonial.
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The Bearded Axe in Norse Warfare and Woodworking
The bearded axe, known as a "Skeggøx", refers to axes used since the 6th century AD. Its beard or lower blade extends below the handle, yielding a larger cutting edge yet lightweight. This adaptable tool served Vikings for woodworking and battle. In combat, the beard caught weapons, exposing enemies. Forged with steeled edges, bearded axes split wood and felled trees. Short handles eased portability through forests and farms. An essential survival item, axes reflect Norse pragmatism.
Prominent in war, axes were common, affordable weapons for average Vikings. Cultural symbols, elaborately decorated axes indicated status. The ceremonial Mammen Axe features silver and gold inlays on every surface, including the socket’s two deep grooves making four ornamented platforms. Its blade shape suggests ceremonial over practical use. Weighing just 1.7 pounds, the 10th-century Danish axe’s ornate craftsmanship shows importance.
Long-handled for reach, the vicious Dane Axe was forged for war. Letting Vikings strike from afar with nasty moves, this two-handed axe had advantages. Its thin blade and weight distribution created high damage potential. With tactics maximizing axes, leaders wreaked havoc. Modern collectors displaying decorative Mammen replicas evoke Viking ferocity. Yet beyond warfare, pragmatic axes helped tame the harsh, wooded Norse homelands. Their ubiquity made axes quintessential Viking gear.