Anglo-Saxon axe head
Title
Anglo-Saxon axe head
Subject
Archaeology
Description
M/1992/22
Anglo-Saxon iron axe blade with a socket for a wooden handle. This type of axe, with the cutting edge of its blade pointing up rather than straight ahead, is thought to have been thrown at enemies in battle, rather than used as a tool. This axe is one of several Anglo-Saxon objects found by workmen when they were building Edridge Road in Croydon, between February 1893 and September 1894. Some of the objects were given to the old Grangewood Museum in Croydon and are now looked after by Croydon Museum Service. The rest were given to the British Museum. Between 1600 and 1300 years ago, Edridge Road was the site of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery. This axe was buried there with its owner for and was found with a whetstone (Museum reference number M/1992/23) which could have been used to sharpen the axe.
Noticed a mistake? Have some extra information about this object? Please contact us museum@croydon.gov.uk
Anglo-Saxon iron axe blade with a socket for a wooden handle. This type of axe, with the cutting edge of its blade pointing up rather than straight ahead, is thought to have been thrown at enemies in battle, rather than used as a tool. This axe is one of several Anglo-Saxon objects found by workmen when they were building Edridge Road in Croydon, between February 1893 and September 1894. Some of the objects were given to the old Grangewood Museum in Croydon and are now looked after by Croydon Museum Service. The rest were given to the British Museum. Between 1600 and 1300 years ago, Edridge Road was the site of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery. This axe was buried there with its owner for and was found with a whetstone (Museum reference number M/1992/23) which could have been used to sharpen the axe.
Noticed a mistake? Have some extra information about this object? Please contact us museum@croydon.gov.uk
Creator
Croydon Museum Service
Date
5th-6th century
Language
English
Date Created
2010-08-10
Files
Citation
Croydon Museum Service, “Anglo-Saxon axe head,” Woruldhord, accessed April 29, 2024, http://poppy.nsms.ox.ac.uk/woruldhord/items/show/202.