Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art

About this Work

These two axes with their typical semicircular, slightly pointed blades and two large ovoid openings were made in a mold. The blade thickens toward the back, forming a hallow handle fitting, either rounded oval (76.34.38) or pointed ovoid (76.34.37) in section. The overall workmanship of the gold axe (76.34.38) is more careful; the surface is nicely smoothed, and the edges of the openings are well-carinated. The cutting edge seems to have been hammered and sharpened, producing a remarkably acute edge.

The marks of casting have been less thoroughly removed from the silver axe (76.34.37); the carination at the openings protrudes ridge-like above the edges, the flanges have uneven burnishing marks. A shallow rib, now worn, bisects the axe from cutting edge to shaft fitting. A sharp carination runs along the back of the shaft guide. Ceremonial axes were used in particular in the temple of the Obelisks at Byblos.