The Iceman's Axe

[Steve Tall]

From more than 5,000 years ago:

"...copper-bladed axe...yew haft is around 60 cm long...fixed with birch tar and tightly bound with thin leather straps... 9.5 cm blade... made of almost pure copper... produced by cold-hammering after the blade was cast... could fell a yew tree in 35 minutes without sharpening... around 3000 years BC, copper axes were a status symbol and must have been cherished as weapons..."

Photo and quoted text from
http://www.iceman.it/en/axe#beil

 

[thriller100]

wow just WOW

 

[bearhunter]

id like to see that in person...
thanks for the pic and info...

 

[HandAxeProMan]

I've read a lot about this axe, but had never seen it or pictures of it. Thanks for the pictures Steve.

 

[JayGoliath]

A variant of this is still used by the Dayaks in Malaysia called Kapak Beliung ( Beliung axe)
It's a half axe half adze depending on application.

You might need google translate for this page:
http://threetogoctothorpe.blogspot.com/2010/09/buka-ladang.html

As what i heard from the tribe, you could wield this for hours and don't feel tired at all.
The rattan and mechanism work wonders.

The machete on his waist is for shrubs....and heads of enemy

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I'd love to own a replica bronze axe some day. Really cool stuff.

 

[John G]

Robin Wood's blog shows his current project: woodworking with bronze axes and adzes!

Check it out: http://greenwood-carving.blogspot.com/2012/02/bronze-age-woodworking-adzes-and-axes.html