Некоторые замечания по поводу боевого топора (по материалам I тыс. н. э. на территории Литвы)

Abstract

In order to identify possible interface with purpose of an axe, the article discusses parameters such as size, weight, blade width and form of wedge of ornamented narrow-bladed blunt-ended axes and axes of the elongation of a butt at the sides, which were used in the second half of the first millennium. A total of 20 ornamented and 19 non ornamented type 7 axes and 10 axes of the elongation of a butt at the sides data were used in the study. A review of axes parameters showed that, in this respect, expressive axes of the elongation of a butt at the sides do not stand out from the total mass of axes. It was found that type 7 ornamented and non-ornamented axes form one whole. They are characterized by relatively high altitudes at low weights, relatively wide blade, narrow wedge. No correlations were observed between the presence or absence of the ornament and the technical parameters. According to the set of features, axes of this type stand out the most from all other axes andfrom the technical perspective are the closest to the image of the so-called battle axe. Whether they were battle axes ñ it is difficult to say. Potentiallywe could consider them as such only in terms of a narrow chronologicalperiod (5ñ6th centuries) and territory. The review once again showed that, at least for axes in the first millennium, the term battle axe used by many authorsis just a nice-sounding metaphor.