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Axe

Drilled stone, wooden shaft and bandage from ropes caused the discovery of one of the oldest human tools and later on a weapon - axe. The earliest it comes along in stone-age. The discovery of bronze and later on of iron brought another improvements like cast and later on forged pieces.*Surprising is that old Greeks and Romans did not use ax, because they meant it as a barbarian weapon. However it was very popular between "the barbarians", eg. the Franks, The Merovians, The Celtic, The Lombardians and The Vikings. In the Central Europe stabilized the type called "Francisca", while at the north appeared the type with crescent blade, that we know from later medieval axes of the gisarme type (12th - 17th century), and the berdish axe. The types of Danish axes spread out to Britain and also to the north of the continent, where in the form "bearded-axe" stayed in use up to the 16th century. Different types of axes were used for foot soldiers as well as for cavalry. The axe enforced also as a board weapon when attacking enemy's ship.*Some axes for cavalry fights were constructed as throwing axes (hurlbats). In Europe they were in use just during the medieval but they are still in use by some tribes in Africa.*Axes were often used in the 12th century mostly for infantry fights with cavalry. In the 13th century the knights used for contact fight heavy onehand and twohand axe. Later on it was replaced by swords and after 16th century the axe totally disappears as the knight's weapon but it is still folk weapon and tool.*In the army the axe appears again in the 18th century as a weapon of the sappers. It was quite heavy, on the handle long app. 120cm (47.2\") ended by forging with spike was mounted the blade. These axes can be still seen in the equipment of some units and appear during military parades and festivals.

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