These specimens are fragments of a viking axe head dating to 900 CE. The axe head was restored in the 1960s using the techniques of the time, which tended to focus on the beauty of the finished object as opposed to stabilizing and preserving the material. We worked closely with blacksmith Kerry Stagmer and the smiths of Baltimore Knife & Sword to prepare the material for inclusion by removing modern weld material so that only the original Norse metal remained.

The visual appearance of a tiny axe head is the result of many hours of work at MMHQ. Each fragment is enclosed in an acrylic specimen jar held within a handsome, glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included, which also serves as the certificate of authenticity.

"Never before has such terror appeared in Britain as we have now suffered from a pagan race ... The heathens poured out the blood of saints around the altar, and trampled on the bodies of saints in the temple of God, like dung in the streets."

~ Alcuin of York, on the first Viking raids of 793

The spectacular entry of the Vikings into history is usually pinned to a raid on an isolated monastery off the northeast coast of England in 793 CE. The raid received wide attention in Western Europe due to the writings of a prominent scholar named Alcuin of York. A native to this region of England, Alcuin was serving in the court of Charlemagne when he received word of the raid. Yet, Alcuin's rather graphic description is complicated by the times in which it was crafted. The growing empire of Charlemagne had come into contact with the Danes to the north and there are some scholars who suggest that the raid on Lindisfarne monastery, and many of the others which followed, were in direct response to the threat the Norsemen felt along their own borders.

Regardless, the expansion of the Norsemen continued, and their travels were widespread. They scouted and raided the entire coast of Europe and all of the major rivers of the continent.

During their time in southern and eastern Europe, Norsemen served as mercenaries for the Byzantine Empire and enforcers of the peace in slavic lands. They expanded far to the East, establishing colonies in today's Russia. The Kievan Rus as they were known also traded with the Islamic world. Rare evidence of this extensive trade network was discovered in the 19th century when a ring bearing Arabic script was uncovered in the 9th century grave of a woman on the Swedish island of Björkö.

In the north Atlantic, Norsemen discovered the island of Iceland, the archipelago of Svalbard, and the micro-continent Greenland. They also made several attempts to colonize a land further west which they called Vinland and which we call North America.

In addition to the adventures, family histories, mythology, and tales of political intrigue, the sagas also describe the weapons of the Vikings and their manufacture. Next to the knives, the machete-like sax, and the swords of the wealthy, we also learn more about the various types of axes that were so prominent in the lives of the Norsemen.
Unlike the popular image of a giant Viking axe, the reality is quite different. Smaller blades were more effective in close combat not to mention much cheaper. So, while the largest axes like the crescent-shaped Breiðøx, or broad axe, might have a cutting edge up to 18" (45cm), the iconic "bearded axe," or Skegøx, might only reach 6" (15cm).

With a properly sharpened carving axe, a skilled craftsman can quickly turn out many useful implements including mallets, bowls, and even spoons. Combined with the adze, the gouge, and the drawknife, it is possible to create incredibly ornate carvings including the famous dragon heads which adorned the prows of many Norse sailing ships.