Neolithic Stone battle axe - 17 cm

"Neolithic Perforated Stone Battle Axe

Culture / Period: Neolithic
Date / Period: 2800–2400 B.C.
Material: Hardstone (possibly diabase/dolerite)
Dimensions: 170 mm
Condition: Good condition

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Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 855

The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the battle axe from E.S. in Zuidveen.

The previous owner, E.S. from Zuidveen (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 large perforated stone battle axe dates to the Late Neolithic, approximately 2800–2400 B.C., a period associated in northwestern Europe with the Corded Ware (Single Grave) Culture. Such carefully shaped axes were prestigious objects that served both as practical tools and as symbols of status and authority. They were hafted through the finely drilled perforation, which measures approximately 23 mm in diameter, allowing the axe to be securely mounted on a wooden handle.

Neolithic perforated battle axes were typically manufactured from tough hardstones such as diabase (dolerite), amphibolite, or other durable igneous and metamorphic rocks, selected for their exceptional strength and resistance to impact. The present example has been fashioned from a dense hardstone, possibly diabase (dolerite). Producing such an object required considerable skill, involving pecking, grinding, polishing, and the laborious drilling of the central shaft hole using abrasive techniques. These manufacturing methods reflect the advanced stone-working traditions that developed during the Late Neolithic.

Perforated battle axes are found across large parts of northern and western Europe and illustrate the widespread exchange of technology, craftsmanship, and cultural traditions between prehistoric communities. While functional examples were undoubtedly used, finely made specimens such as this also carried social significance and were closely associated with identity, prestige, and emerging warrior elites.

This piece forms a tangible connection to the Late Neolithic world, providing direct evidence of the sophisticated craftsmanship and social developments that characterized prehistoric Europe more than 4,000 years ago."