XIV–XVI a. kirviai: pagrindinių parametrų apžvalga
Axes of the 14th–16th Century: review of the Main Parameters

Summary/Abstract: Based on the data of 275 axes of the 14th–16th century discovered on the territory of Lithuania and currently stored in 16 museums, the analysis of their main parameters – height, weight, axe-blade width, length of an upper part of axe-head, axe-head width and shaft-hole size – was carried out. It was determined that axe height varies and ranges from 10.3 to 23.2 cm. It essentially repeats the height interval of axes from the 10th–13th century, i.e. they are smaller than the axes with a narrow blade and a blunt end and socketed axes. The comparison of the height of axes of the first and second type revealed a shift of the overall height interval of the second-type axes towards the higher ones. The axe weight is varied and ranges from 210 to 1240 g. Even though a large part of them repeats the weight tendencies of other periods, they are nevertheless the heaviest among the axes of all periods under analysis. The comparison of the height of axes of the first and second type revealed that the axes of the second type show a clear tendency of the growing weight. The blade width of the 14th–16th century axes is varied and ranges from 5.8 to 15.2 cm, which corresponds to the axe-blade width of the 10th–13th century. A certain difference was identified when comparing the width of axe-blade of the first and second type of axes – the blade-width distribution of the first-type axes is normal, whereas the blades of the second-type axes, on the one hand, are generally wider than the first-type axes; on the other hand, a part of them can be characterised by a narrow blade whose width can be compared to the blade width of axes with a narrow blade. It has been determined that the tendencies of the length of an upper part of axe-head, axe-head width and shaft-hole of the axes of the first type resemble the tendencies of round-head axes from all the periods under discussion (axes with a narrow blade and a blunt end from the 10th–13th century). Meanwhile, the peculiar features of the second-type axe-heads are determined by the axehead structure: an upper part length is less varied; their edges do not have a tongue-shaped extension; the axehead width is usually smaller than the axe-head width of axes with a rounded axe-head; most of them have a flat top; as a rule, shaft holes are far bigger along the symmetry axis of an axe. What is more, the comparison between the axes of the first and second type in all aspects revealed the differences, which can be seen as a certain shift of the new technological thought or tradition towards contemporary axes. This tendency is represented by second-type axes, while first-type axes could be seen as the legacy of the old tradition. The results obtained are consistent with the previously observed chronological difference of axe types under analysis: the 1st half of the 15th century marks the boundary between them.

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