Axe head with crouching lion c. 900

This bronze axe head, dating back to around 900 AD, is a striking example of early metalwork. The object, now residing in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, features a crouching lion with a distinctive mane and stylized body, integrated into the design of the axe. The combination of practicality and symbolic imagery suggests the importance of both hunting and the power of the lion in the culture that created this axe.