"Large Neolithic Funnelbeaker Culture Flint Axe Culture / Period: Neolithic, Funnelbeaker Culture (TRB) Date / Period: c. 3400–2800 B.C. Material: Flint Dimensions: 232 mm Condition: Good condition No shipping outside theopean Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within theopean Union before placing a bid. Provenance information: Object Registration ID: 859 The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the axe from H.T. in Emmen. The previous owner, H.T. from Emmen (The Netherlands), stated that the object had been in his collection since the 1990s. According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in The Netherlands since the 1990s. No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner. Background Information: This exceptionally large flint axe is attributed to the Neolithic Funnelbeaker Culture (Trichterbecherkultur, abbreviated TRB), dating to approximately 3400–2800 B.C. The Funnelbeaker Culture was one of the earliest farming societies in northwesternope, flourishing across present-day Denmark, northern Germany, the Netherlands, and southern Scandinavia. It takes its modern name from its distinctive funnel-shaped ceramic vessels, while it is also renowned for constructing impressive megalithic monuments, including dolmens and passage graves. Large flint axes such as this were essential woodworking tools used for clearing forests, felling trees, shaping timber, and constructing houses, fences, boats, and other structures required by settled farming communities. Their manufacture demanded considerable skill, with experienced flint knappers carefully selecting high-quality raw material before shaping the tool through controlled percussion flaking. The substantial size of this example suggests that it may also have served as a prestigious possession, reflecting both craftsmanship and the owner's social standing. The Funnelbeaker Culture played a key role in transforming the landscape of prehistoric northwesternope through the introduction of agriculture and permanent settlement. Flint was among the most valuable raw materials of the period and was extensively traded across wide exchange networks connecting communities over considerable distances. The production of large flint axes formed part of a highly organised technological tradition that developed over many generations. This piece represents an impressive example of Neolithic craftsmanship and forms a tangible connection to the early farming communities of prehistoricope, where such finely worked flint tools were indispensable in daily life and contributed directly to the development of settled society."