The Axe of Perun - Slavic Axe Amulet.
Detailed replica of the so-called Axe of Perun, a Slavic miniature axe of the late Viking Age based on historical models dating to the late 11th to early 12th century.
The Axe of Perun was worn around the neck as an amulet by West Slavs and Rus and was an attribute of the supreme Slavic god Perun.
Link to an original Perun-Axt...
According to the archaeological definition, this Perun axe-amulet belongs to the Makarov type 2, which is often found in the eastern find material of the Viking Age and was widespread in the Slavic countries of the Baltic, Poland, Ukraine and western Russia.
Original axe pendants of this type were between 30 and 57 mm in size and often had circular eye ornaments and zigzag lines as decoration, which are interpreted as symbolizing the sun and lightning.
However, there are also interpretations that point to the symbolic representation of a ship, which are hidden in the shape of the axe because the stern, stem and sails seem to be clearly visible in the shape of the Axe of Perun.
The Viking Age axe pendant measures 4.5 x 3.3 cm.
The Axe of Perun amulet is made of bronze and also available in genuine silver-plated.
A black leather cord in 1 m length for the Axe of Perun is included.
Perun is considered the highest god of Slavic mythology and was at the same time the god of thunderstorms, thunder and lightning - his name means "the mighty one who strikes". Perun thus roughly corresponds to the North Germanic Thor in his function and was especially revered by the common people.
Perun's attributes are, besides the iris, the oak and the axe, which symbolizes the descending lightning. Therefore, in the archaeological context in the West Slavic area and among the Rus, miniature axes are often found, which roughly correspond in meaning to the Thor's hammer.
In 980 AD, Prince Vladimir I had a wooden stele of the god Perun with a silver head and golden beard erected in Kiev. At the same time, another image of Perun was erected in Novgorod. However, both statues of the god were destroyed as early as 988/989 in the course of Christianisation.
Even human sacrifices are said to have been offered to Perun. In 983, two Christian Varangians are said to have been sacrificed by the Russians because they had insulted the images of the gods.