Axe; Cambodia, late 19th - early 20th century.

Axe; Cambodia, late 19th - early 20th century.
Wood covered with black, red and green lacquer and wrought iron.
It shows slight wear caused by the passage of time.
Measurements: 54,5 cm (height).
Cambodian axe made of wood for the handle and metal in the area of the head. The piece is covered in the inferior zone of the handle by lacquer of red, green and black color that is superimposed in stripes. The upper zone, that of the head of the axe, made of metal, has a figurative design simulating a dragon's head with open jaws. In this area you can also see traces of red lacquer.
Collected for a long time by explorers and soldiers as trophies or objects of curiosity, African weapons are, in addition to their initial use as combat tools, true works of art that were meant to impress the adversary, either by their brilliance or their shape. They have also been used for other purposes, magico-religious and as symbols of power.