oldest ethnographic weapons handaxes

josh stout · 4th March 2015, 04:57 PM

The Mahogany obsidian was found near Fern Cave in the Lava Beds National Monument circa 1890. It is by far the best in my collection.

I certainly agree that they are quite widespread. I think the "Swiss Army Knife" hypothesis is quite plausible, and wonder about aspects of the general form. Even though they are described as symmetrical in the literature, I see one edge with more of a curve, and one being almost straight on most examples. There are a few, particularly Neolithic examples, that are close to symmetrical, but I think this is a case where a concept has entered the discussion, and it is resisting empirical observations to the contrary.

I also would love to find evidence that they were used with a hand protector. I seem to remember a firsthand account from Australia and I have seen dioramas depicting it, nevertheless, most mentions of this practice do not refer to specific examples. One of the use experiments of butchery done with reproduction Acheulean handaxes at the English site at Boxgrove (Toth) described a firm grip without a protector, once the blood made the stone sticky.

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4th March 2015, 04:57 PM	#6
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	The Mahogany obsidian was found near Fern Cave in the Lava Beds National Monument circa 1890. It is by far the best in my collection. I certainly agree that they are quite widespread. I think the "Swiss Army Knife" hypothesis is quite plausible, and wonder about aspects of the general form. Even though they are described as symmetrical in the literature, I see one edge with more of a curve, and one being almost straight on most examples. There are a few, particularly Neolithic examples, that are close to symmetrical, but I think this is a case where a concept has entered the discussion, and it is resisting empirical observations to the contrary. I also would love to find evidence that they were used with a hand protector. I seem to remember a firsthand account from Australia and I have seen dioramas depicting it, nevertheless, most mentions of this practice do not refer to specific examples. One of the use experiments of butchery done with reproduction Acheulean handaxes at the English site at Boxgrove (Toth) described a firm grip without a protector, once the blood made the stone sticky.