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Norse axe "sheath" found

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:06 pm
by Elleth
For those who aren't following Dimicator's Patreon, he just posted an interesting find:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/two-original-age-20697979

It's only available to subscribers at the moment, but I suspect the video will eventually be posted to his public account. Basically one of his museum buddies was examining some artifacts they had in storage, and discovered two items labelled "sheath for chopping knife" were more likely blade covers for period axes - presumably war axes. He placed one against a contemporary axe blade from Hedeby, and it fit perfectly.

For those who can't see the pictures, they're basically simple pieces of wood - just a tad longer than the axe edge - with the inside hollowed out "dugout canoe style" so as to fit over the edge of the axe. Both have holes for (presumably) some kind of lacing arrangement to hold in place, and both have some simple rustic carving.

If you've ever pondered period ways to protect edge and fingers, it's worth a look!

Re: Norse axe "sheath" found

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:20 am
by caedmon
Hmm, This is what I've found so far...

sheath1.jpg
sheath1.jpg (65.35 KiB) Viewed 8272 times
9-11th century Gnezdovo, Russia. Axe sheath , wood.
sheath2.jpg
sheath2.jpg (39.24 KiB) Viewed 8272 times
sheat3.jpg
sheat3.jpg (13.26 KiB) Viewed 8272 times
sheath 4.jpg
sheath 4.jpg (100.71 KiB) Viewed 8272 times
sheath4a.jpg
sheath4a.jpg (43.9 KiB) Viewed 8272 times
sheath4b.jpg
sheath4b.jpg (212.16 KiB) Viewed 8272 times
sheat 5.jpg
sheat 5.jpg (49.74 KiB) Viewed 8272 times

Re: Norse axe "sheath" found

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:48 am
by Elleth
Wow!

The bottom two are the ones in the video, for what it's worth.

Re: Norse axe "sheath" found

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 6:58 am
by Iodo
Interesting, i've never thought about making an axe blade cover out of anything other than leather.