Description:

Northern Europe, Denmark, Neolithic period, ca. 3900 to 1700 BCE. A pair of beautiful hand axes, one made from a creamy grey stone with small black inclusions, the other from a coffee brown stone with pretty latte colored bands and a shiny surface. Axes like these are part of the technology that marked Neolithic life in northwestern Europe, alongside farming, pottery, and longhouses. Axes of this sort are often found inside dolmens, large granite blocks that form tombs. This example is notable for its thick butt end as well as its edge which is still sharp even after thousands of years. This piece was probably intended for ceremonial use, considered of great value, and kept apart for display. Celts such as this were often used as grave goods for important nobles, or given as influential gifts and may have had a role in pagan religious rites. Size of largest: 2.25" W x 6.75" H (5.7 cm x 17.1 cm)

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#153487

  • Condition: The tip of the smaller one is repaired; the other is intact. Both have some small losses from peripheries and nice deposits.

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July 1, 2020 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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