@Geri @normjess
skeggΓΈx is your classic viking axe, variety of designs, but a big broad blade and a huge heavy butt to give the blade splitting bower, sometimes the butt would be shaped like a spike or a hammer.
labrys is your minoan double-headed battle axe. probably never actually used as a weapon in real life you see it in mosaics being wielded by female minoan deities as a symbol of their devine power. you still see the labrys still in use today as a symbol of women's power harking back to pre-patriarchal societies like the minoans.
i picked these two out because as capitalist society becomes more alienated from skilled physical labour the small hand-axes that Mary might have used such as a hatchet, adze or froe are less familiar with us and instead we think of large axes we see in our culture such as the two above.
just wanted to erase the confusion, sorry for the lecture on axes!