Page:Athletics and Manly Sport (1890).djvu/206

Rh The axes Nos. 11 and 12 (page 181), represent the weapon called a "palstave," by British antiquarians, and a paalstab, by German writers; but this is certainly wrong, as the name implies a pointed instrument, and not an axe. The old Norse pálstafir was a harpoon.

Figures 8 to 16 embrace all the forms of battle-axe used in ancient Ireland, except the spardha which was a spear and axe combined, and closely resembled the piked axe of the last two centuries.

The royal seal on page 184 (No. 17) is