This kind of axe has a wide and thin blade that also includes a pronounced horn at both the toe and the heel of the bit.
The Danish axes are also known as Dane axe, English long axe, and hafted axe. The Danish Axe is one of the earliest types of battle axe that was used mostly during the Viking Age and the Early Middle Age.
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Let’s take a look at the most common types of axes that were used by Vikings and which are popular nowadays in movies and TV shows about them. Types of Viking AxesĪxes came in a variety of sizes and shapes. However, eventually the Vikings got wealthier and they opted for weapons with better maneuverability. Skilled warriors could tear the shields of their enemies like paper and easily take down in close combat.
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It was a poor man’s weapon, since every Viking man would have an axe in their household for essential tasks like cutting down trees, processing wood, and building, but that also meant that Vikings were comfortable with and knew how to use them.Įven though axe wasn’t a fancy weapon, it was quite deadly. Some broad-axes, for example, had crescent shaped edges 9 to 18 inches long!ĭuring wars, most Vikings couldn’t afford weapons such as swords (steel was expensive), so they would take along the axe that they used for splitting or cutting woods to serve as their weapon in the battle. Axes from the early Viking era had cutting edges 3 to 6 inches long, while later on in the Viking age, the axes used became much larger. The medieval Norsemen used two common types of axe: the long axe and the hand axe. Viking Axe HistoryĪround the 10th-11th century, Viking axe got immense popularity among the areas outside Scandinavia where Vikings influence were quite strong during that time and it was one of the most common weapons used by the ancient Norse warriors. On the other hand, bearded axes were thicker and heavier which made them a good choice for heavy-duty tasks such as wood-cutting and splitting, but which also helped them deliver powerful crushing blows against an enemy. Dane axes used to have a thin blade profile with a large, curving cutting edge which made them an excellent at cutting through leather armour and inflicting serious wounds. The size and thickness of the blade also varied. The size of Viking axes varied and they were usually from one to five feet long. Among these the most common type types were the Dane axe and the bearded axe. There were also axe types that were meant for close combat as they had a short cutting edge. The edge of the axe was designed to be razor-sharp. Viking axes were generally lightweight so that warrior could easily handle and throw the axe. There are several different kinds of axes used by the warriors during the Viking age.
In the beginning, the head was made with stone but gradually it was replaced by iron and steel. Scandinavian people mastered the art of axe making. Over time the design and the structure of the axes changed. On the other hand, an axe was something almost everyone owned as it was more of a common tool than a weapon. Back in that era, swords were quite expensive and only wealthy warriors could afford them.
Viking Axe Replicas and Viking Reenactment WeaponsĪ Viking Axe is a hand tool that has a variety of usages both in the battleground and at home.