Bronze double axe
The double axe played a central role in Minoan society and religion. Full-size versions were not only functional tools but also ceremonial objects that were displayed or dedicated in sanctuaries and graves. Miniature examples likewise served as votive offerings. Those with pierced handles could be worn as pendants or amulets. Although the religious function and meaning of the double axe is not clear, Minoan seals and frescoes often show it in scenes depicting rituals and in connection with a female deity. The design also appears as an individual sign on seals and pottery, as a mason’s mark on stone blocks, and in the Minoan scripts.
Artwork Details
- Title: Bronze double axe
- Period: Late Minoan III
- Date: ca. 1400–1050 BCE
- Culture: Minoan
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: 6 1/8 in. x 2 1/4 in. (15.5 x 5.7 cm)
- Classification: Bronzes
- Credit Line: Bequest of Richard B. Seager, 1926
- Object Number: 26.31.483
- Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art
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Minoan
ca. 1600–1050 BCE
Minoan
ca. 1600–1050 BCE
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ca. 1600–1050 BCE
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ca. 1600–1450 BCE
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