http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30197084
It looks like you could pick it up and put it to work.
It looks like you could pick it up and put it to work.
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Prehistoric Danish Axe found with wooden handle
- Thread starter catalytic
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i can't figure out the construction from the picture. the soil is obviously associated with peat bogs, so the slightly acidic soil could not have preserved the wood that well. oh well, i'm not really sure.
Square_peg
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I'd like to see more pictures of how it's hafted. I'm also wondering what type of wood they used. Do you supposed they already knew the properties of Ash 5500 years ago?
The article states it was preserved in clay with low oxygen...good preservation environment.
Also, wasn't there a Neolithic thread recently? I think the old tools had the stone jammed through the center of the haft.
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They used to split a living tree.
Embed a knapped axe head in it.
Bind the branch back together above and below the axe head.
In a few years they came back and harvested a handle grown tight around the flint.
Embed a knapped axe head in it.
Bind the branch back together above and below the axe head.
In a few years they came back and harvested a handle grown tight around the flint.
I like that theory! Certainly there are kinks in the wood on either side of the stone to strongly imply something like this. I guess you wanted to be very patient in those days and didn't angrily throw tools at other folks or toss stuff in the lake on a bad hair day. I'm picturing proud dad saying to young son; "this axe will be ready for your 16th birthday; your job over the next 10 years is to keep vandals, squirrels and deer out of there and make sure a big wind doesn't blow the tree over". Such a sapling would have been vulnerable for quite awhile!