NORDIC STONE ARTEFACTS
DENMARK, NEOLITHIC PERIOD, C. 4TH – 3RD MILLENNIUM B.C.
£328
Classical Ancient Art // Form Through Time
Auction: Form Through Time - 21st March 2024 at 2pm
Description
a small collection of weathered Neolithic stone tools, consisting of a spherical grinding stone composed of granite with an ink inscription reading “Odense Tratgensalle 43”; an exceptionally large granite stone axe with an ink inscription reading “Klebæk”; a basalt pierced stone axe head, speckled grey in colour, a pitted surface, the convex sides tapering to the sharp rounded cutting edge (3)
Dimensions
longest: 24 cm
Provenance
Provenance:
Private collection, United Kingdom, formed 1970s - 1990s
Footnote
Note:
Before modern archaeology, stone axes fashioned in the Neolithic era or earlier were known as thunderstones. They were believed to be created when lightning struck the ground, and to have magical properties. It has been argued that these objects, specifically perforated axe-hammers such as the present example, were the origin for the folklore of Mjölnir, weapon of the god Thor.