ca. 900 AD. An iron bearded axe head with a broad curved blade and a haft-shaped custom-made stand. Bearded axes were common from the 6th century AD onwards in Scandinavia but made especially famous by the Vikings. In bearded axes, the main part of the blade extends below the butt of the axe creating a large cutting blade that allows fighters to hook onto the shields or weapons of their opponents.Provenance: Obtained from B.C. ; previously in a collection formed since the 1970s on the UK and European art market.Size: L:125mm / W:225mm ; 1.2kg