Stone age axe found with wood handle

BBC ^ | 11/25/2014 | N/A

[Natufian]

Archaeologists in Denmark have uncovered an incredibly rare find: a stone age axe held within its wooden handle. The 5,500-year-old Neolithic axe was found during archaeological surveys ahead of a multi-billion euro tunnel project. The axe seems to have been jammed into what was once the seabed, perhaps as part of a ritual offering. The lack of oxygen in the clay ground helped preserve the wooden handle.

[Brother Cracker]

[Daffynition]

Ax me no questions, I'll teel you no lies......

[Straight Vermonter]

The axe seems to have been jammed into what was once the seabed, perhaps as part of a ritual offering.

Or...you know...it fell out of a boat.

[Flag_This]

Obama’s mama?

[Brother Cracker]

[The Cajun]

Wonder where they got the sandpaper, stain and varnish from :)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Natufian.

[Mr. K]

it kills me how they find religious significance in everything

archaeologists in the year 4000 are going to fin iPads and say they were used for prayer magnification implement in religious ceremonies...

[Bigg Red]

Photo is too cool.

[Bigg Red]

I am thinking that the ax was left there following the owner’s death, and the clay silted in around it over the years. Seems more plausible to me than a “spiritual offering”.

[meadsjn]

jammed into what was once the seabed, perhaps as part of a ritual offering.

See? People have been losing stuff out of boats for a long, long time.

I wish they would have taken a side shot also. I'm curious whether the handle had bindings, or if the hole was burned out and the rock jammed into it. Looks like solid oak with a nice stain, though.

[TalBlack]

Seems more plausible to me than a “spiritual offering”.

Ditto!

[colorado tanker]

This is a really cool find. Amazing preservation.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Natufian and colorado tanker.

[stockpirate]

lol