Review of the size and weight of the axes used on the territory of Lithuania in the 1st–16th century

ENThe article sets out to review the size and weight of the axes used on the territory of Lithuania in the 1st-16th century in order to determine how these parameters changed over time and how well-founded the statements on the dynamics of these parameters appearing in archaeological literature are. To that end. the average values of axe size and weight were calculated, i.e. their individual type was regarded as a whole. The data analysis revealed a clear trend of decreasing axe size until the I4th,-first half of the I5th century. The weight analysis showed a different trend axe weight demonstrated a significant growth from the second half of the 15th century only, after the axes with angular flat butts designed for the fitting of the haft with an oval cross-section came into use. Consequently, occasional statements on die small size, imperfection and inefficiency of the 1st millennium axes and the large size and heavy weight of the 1st-13th century axes appear founded or based on the visual observations of their small number only, and they should therefore be corrected.