"New" group of axes from Western Siberia

The museums of Western Siberia and the private collections contain a series of items, represented by incidental findings of iron eyelet axes, which presented by curious items with uncharacteristic for classical forms the asymmetrical cross-section, formed by a complete flattening of one of the sides of the pin. These characteristics of the pin permitted to mark out these items in a separate group with its inner typological divisions, included three distinct varieties of items. At the present time, in virtue of the high perfection and omnitude of the axes, there are certain difficulties in the interpretation of these items as a weapon, excepting the cases of special combined forms with additional striking elements in the form of prominent, often spiky fork on their backed side. The ornamentation can indicate the military function of such stuff strike weapons. External characteristics of these items are the intense, sometimes with additional metal plates, back; pointed, protrusive frontal part of the blade - a sock; notch in the upper edge of the back part of the ax body, which makes it possible to intercept the shaft close to the back and slam the stabs by sharp sock in close fight. A tubular bolster around the hole for shafting - an eye - intensified the weak point where the carrier and working part jointed. The ornamentation of the frontal part of these items by various cutmarks, and finally, the size of one of the determined types, as well as the facts just cited, permit to exclude these items from the range of working axes and relate them to the category of weapons. According to its Russian origin, this item can be used by service class men as well as come to hand of weaponed representatives of aboriginal military structures.