LARGE EXTREMELY RARE INCA PRE-COLUMBIAN PERFORATED STONE WAR AXE *PC626

Product Description

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This is an EXCEPTIONAL AND VERY RARE, functional pierced polished stone war axe of the Pre-Columbian Inca empire.  Expertly carved and polished from a very dense hardstone, It is quite heavy from the hard stone used.  Without question, a single blow to the skull with this axe would have proven fatal.  A strike to the body or limbs would easily have broken bones.  Of the small collection of Incan stone war axes we acquired from this very old 1950's collection, this was the largest and heaviest.  

A similar example (Type Q) of this axe can be seen in this page and diagram of the book at this link.  This exquisite specimen is complete with minor combat damage to an edge of the hammer end.  This is known to be ancient because the intact ancient mineral deposits in the damage surface go deep in all microscopic crevices, and is identical to all other deposits on the axe in other regions.  Because of its size and weight, a substantial hole was drilled in the side to securely affix this axe to a large wooden shaft handle.  The blade end shows extensive combat use and polishing.  It has a sharp edge but the blunt form was not mean to chop as much as it was meant to break and fracture what it struck.  It would have been EXTREMELY effective in breaking bones or fracturing skulls when used in combat.  Mounted on a wooden shaft handle, its substantial size and heft would have made it quite a visually intimidating weapon as much as it was effective! 

In complete original condition, this hardstone axe displays no modern grinding marks, and upon microscopic examination, has its entire surface impacted with ancient mineral deposits in all micro-crevices - traits only seen in authentic ancient stone.  The majority of the original hand-typed find spot label from the original collector, is still affixed to one side.  

This is such an impressive weapon and a prize acquisition for any advanced collection featuring a complete array of Pre-Columbian weapons and war items.

HISTORY

Starting in the beginning of the 13th century A.D. until their final defeat to the Spanish in 1572, the Inca Empire grew to become the largest empire in Pre-Columbian America.  Their peak was between the years 1438 and 1533 where they ruled an area as large as the historical empires of Eurasia.  Their territory included Peru, southwest Ecuador, western and south central Bolivia, northwest Argentina, the majority of modern Chile, and southwest Colombia, controlled from their center in the city of Cusco in southeastern Peru.

A number of religious cults existed in the empire with regional beliefs but the Incan leadership practiced the worship of their main sun god, INTI.  The Incas considered their king, the Sapa Inca, to be the "son of the sun.".

Despite the Incas building one of the largest imperial states in human history, they lacked many basic inventions.  They had no wheeled vehicles, did not use animals for transportation or pulling plows, had no knowledge of iron or steel, and used no form of writing.  The Inca Empire functioned largely without money or markets, instead using the barter system for the exchange of goods and services.  In light of this, they were far from being a primitive society.  The Incas built monumental stone architecture that to this day, still defies explanation.  They also developed an extensive system of roads and highways reaching all ends of the empire.  Their achievements in finely-woven textiles are legendary, and they developed innovations in farming and architecture in the extreme terrain of the Andes where most civilizations would have never dared occupy.