Double-axe

The silk pattern what we call double-axes now was the most commonly used silk among the people living in the North Caucasus in the Early Medieval period. We find this pattern as a border decoration in dozens of garments. They used it not only on clothes but even on a shoe. This popularity is likely connected to the low grade nature of this silk, likely it was among the most economical solution for a lot of people to acquire and use the precious silk material. 

Our reconstruction of this variant of the double-axe pattern is made after the pattern of a woman dress from Moshchevaya Balka.

The double-axe pattern comes from the simplification and schematization of the famous and widely used boar heads patterns. 

Silk fragments with boar heads from Central Asia
7-8th century

Confronting boar heads on a silk textile from the 9th century

Ierusalimskaya's drawing about the schematization and evolution of the board head-double-axe pattern
A: Sassanian prototypes
B:Sogdian imitations
C: variations of the double-axe motif

Some examples for the double-axe patterned silk:

Sources:
MET Museum
Ierusalimskaya, Anna A.: Мощевая Балка. Необычный археологический памятник на Северокавказском шёлковом пути, Moshtcevaya Balka, An unusual archeological site at the North Caucasus Silk Road, St. Petersburg 2012.
Spuhler, Friedrich: Pre-Islamic Carpets and Textiles from Eastern Lands, New York 2014

​Artwork: Balázs Szakonyi

The historical source motif is reconstructed and graphically recreated by Kazar Bazar. The resulting reconstruction and original graphic work are protected by copyright. Reproduction, copying or commercial use without permission is prohibited.