Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid. Bronze Age, votive socketed axe with a hollow central socket, 3 upstanding ribs at the shaft and a fantastic smooth and shiny olive green patina. -> Socketed axes marked an important development in Bronze Age technology. By casting the head with a hollow socket, the axe could be fitted more securely onto a wooden haft, creating a stronger and more effective tool for work and combat. Length: ± 76,6 mm Diameter: ± 20,5 mm maximum Condition: very good and solid condition. Bronze with attractive smooth and shiny olive green patina. Signs of wear consistent with age and use. Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format). -> Socketed axes became widespread during the later Bronze Age and represent one of the most characteristic forms of prehistoric bronze tools. Earlier bronze axes had usually been flat or flanged, but the introduction of the socket allowed the head to be mounted more firmly onto the handle. This made the tool more durable and practical, whether used in woodworking, clearing land, or as a weapon. Bronze Age metalworkers achieved a high level of technical skill in casting such objects, producing standardised yet effective forms that circulated across wide regions of Europe. Socketed axes are therefore important not only as practical implements, but also as evidence of technological progress, trade, and the growing sophistication of prehistoric craft traditions.