Cleveland Museum of Art

Battle Axe

Date

late 1500s

Medium

steel, inset with copper rosette

Culture

Italy, late 16th Century

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The axe has been a favorite weapon in Europe for as long as armor has been worn. Although it was useful as a simple tool for chopping, battle axes could become a way of expressing personal style. They could be decorated and embellished without impeding their function. Inset into this axe head is a copper rosette. The haft or wooden handle of this axe is missing.

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