Exhibit of the month – December 2025

The blade of the axe is crescent-shaped and the two longitudinal edges are arch-shaped. Two openings were made at the end, near the heel probably for fastening a handle or for hanging. The heel is decorated with three stylized zoomorphic protomes (bull, ram and goat). This type of axes was functioning as a power symbol rather than a tool. The artefacts published until present provide evidence for the contacts between the Thracian and present-day Greek territories between the 8th and the 6th century BC, when the artefacts were brought as offerings to important sanctuaries.

Bibliography:

Венедиков 1969: И. Венедиков. Предахеменидски Иран в Тракия. – Известия на Археологическия институт, XXХI, 1969, 5-43.

Милчев 1955: А. Милчев. Трако-кимерийски находки от българските земи. – Известия на Археологическия ин ститут, XIX, 1955, 359-373.

Karadzhinov 2011: I. Karadzhinov. Miniature Axes with Zoo morphic Protomes from Greek Sanctuaties in the Light of Thraco-Greek Contacts in the 8th – 6th Century BC. – Ar chaeologia Bulgarica, 1, 2011, 1-12.

Boyadzhiev, K., Stamberova, M., Stefanova, T., Vasileva, Zh. (eds.) 2023. 130 Selected Objects from the Collection of the National Archaeological Museum. National Archaeological Museum Catalogues, volume XXXIII, 72-73.