Posts: 497 Location: Poland
Wed 29 May, 2013 5:31 am
AFAIK, axes of that shape were quite popular in the time, although most probably (?) hailed from Byzantium.
http://www.worldmuseumofman.org/display.php?item=7
Here you have one very similar one. Very broadly dated, but earlier date is way more probable.
Very rich Byzantium culture most probably influenced Slavs and other neighboring tribes and people, because somehow similar axes can be traced around the Eastern Europe. Obviously we can't really be sure how it went like exactly.
Here at least one roughly similar in shape axe from the Rus territory.
http://www.dzikibez.pl/uploads/images/artykuly/topory/15.jpg
And this thread:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=27047
My knowledge is very minimal, so not sure if those analogies make sense, but they should be of some help.
IMO, this axe may be easily 8th century, even if probably not 'Frankish'.