Axes in the weaponry of migration period military nobility in the territory of Lithuania

• Daugpilio universitetas: leidinio tekstas

ENThe article reviews the use of axes in the weaponry of military nobility in the Migration period, commonly referred to as the E period in archeology (450/475-650/680 AD). Overall, according to various criteria over a hundred burial places can be accounted within Lithuania, which are attributable to horizons of so-called warrior graves. In the majority of such places, among the attributes of the grave, axes can be found. A question arises as to categorizing axes in military nobility complexes - as a definite weapon, work tool, or a fashion attribute. Clarity is currently lacking therefore, they are usually valued purely through the prism of working tools. However, an axe, even if it is a socketed axe, regardless of placement in a complex next to expressive and rare objects, should not be viewed solely from the point of view of a work tool. It would be erroneous to name axes ornamented with elongation of a butt at the sides as work tools. For this review, well-known complexes that have been discussed in various aspects and for which attribution to military nobility is beyond doubt were selected with an exception of some graves in Marvelė and Vilkiautinis. Key words: weaponry, Migration period, military nobility, socketed axes, blunt-ended narrow-bladed axes. [Extract, p. 135]