Ancient Inca Ax Head, Indigenous Meso/South America
$525.00
This strong, thick, substantial yet relatively light T-shaped Inca copper alloy bronze ax has considerable wear on one side. Scholars describe these pieces as a classic weapon of the Inca Empire centered in Cuzco, Peru. Bronze ax heads were a very valuable and versatile tool. Their wide T-like top made them tight and durable when secured to a thick wooden handle and their strength and thickness also made them a very useful chopping and digging tool. This one has a fine patina and is very worn on one side attesting to its age and use. It has no restorations or repairs.
Description
Although raw metals were found in nature and hammered into desired objects, no evidence of melting, smelting and casting has been found in North America prior to the 15th-century arrival of Europeans. Yet, two Andean South America sites in or close to Peru were active about 800-500BCE. The Incas were highly skilled with metalwork and made weapons, tools and adornments using bronze/copper alloys, silver and gold. Mesoamerican Incan civilization emerged in the 13th century and by the 15th century, it was an advanced empire centered in Cuzco in modern-day Peru until and decimated by the Spanish in 1572 especially due to illness brought by Spaniards as well as rebellions by local tribes.
Sources
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_army#Weapons
wikipeda, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallurgy_in_pre-Columbian_America
Wikipedia, https://www.ancient.eu/Inca_Art/
Additional information
| Weight | 4 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 6 × 6 × 6 in |
| Date | Inca Empire (1438-1533) |
| Materials and Technique | Bronze/brass/copper alloy |
| Dimensions (inches) | Ht: 4.25” W: 3.75” Thickness: .75” |
| Dimensions (metric) | Ht: 10.79cm W: 9.52cm Thickness: 1.90cm |
| Condition | Very good, see description |
| Reference Number | 1866BAL |
