Re: An historical question

[David Kuijt <kuijt@umiacs.UMD.EDU>]

Michael P Johnson (no SCA name?) writes:

>The axe was the prefered weapon of the Saxons.  In fact the thane usually 
>had a ceremonial axe which he carried in his belt to show people that he 
>was the thane.  Sort of like a crown.  As for swords, anyone that could 
>get their hands on one used them.  They're just harder to make than axes.

This doesn't seem right.  Can you cite sources for these statements?
(all of them except the "harder to make" one, which I accept)

Dafydd