majorgeeek

Russia did not exist in 10th Century - Muscovy Rossiya ( Russia) was created 13th Century around the new founded city Moscow - Kyivan Rus existed from 8th C to 13th Century - this was Rus not Russia which is now Ukraine with Kyiv its capital city - these axes have a strong resemblence to early Viking axes for the reason that the Rus people were in fact Varangians or Scandanavian Vikings who built settlements in northern reaches of modern Ukraine, Byelorus and Russia from as early as 8th century. Their intent was to trade and of course ransack Bryzantian Constantinople which in order to reach they had to traverse the full lenght of river Dniper to the Black Sea in their long boats. They soon found the Slavic city Kyiv and "bought" it for themselves. They also began ruling Kyiv and thus began the Ruricid dynasty. I believe these axes were part of their arsenal of modern weapons which were handed down to the Slavs of Rus. The word Russia is English for Rossiya not Rus