Indian??? axe

Henk · 15th June 2005, 04:08 PM

Bringing this one up again. I hope someone will have look at it too.

Jens Nordlunde · 15th June 2005, 04:55 PM

This axe gives me an Indian feel - but don't ask me to give an explanation why. It could very well me an village made Indian axe - but it could also come from a lot of other places - like India

Rick · 15th June 2005, 05:04 PM

This axe strikes me (no pun intended) as more of a tool than a weapon .
It is in some ways quite similar to an earlier style of axe used in the West for shingling .

Bill · 15th June 2005, 06:56 PM

the handel may be too long for a tool, no wear signs as a tool would be constantly used, don't think a tool would get the decoration either.

Battara · 15th June 2005, 09:00 PM

It looks more like an award axe, but not Indo-persian.

And Rick, thank you - you are a punny guy after all.

tom hyle · 16th June 2005, 09:44 AM

It looks like a tool to me, too; heavy and plain with a flat hammer poll. I don't know if I can expand on this in a meaningful way or where it comes from, but I don't know that that is the original handle. The handle is of round cross-section? This is seen in some regions (already mentioned, I think; India and Africa). The method of attachment is unusualy for Africa. Most traditional African axes are tanged, and most European style axes I've seen copied in Africa, Asia, the Americas are rather plain and simple (indeed usually the head is a simple quadralateral when viewed from the side). I don't know what this is and am guessing. Could it be a reproduction of some type? The heavy hammer poll is a tool feature and meshes well with the hammered surface and the thick walls of the socket; the curled ends of the blade and the silver overlay on the handle both seem peculiar in this context?
Note the dimple in the middle of the poll. I don't know

just note it.

Conogre · 16th June 2005, 05:31 PM

A VERY interesting item, and I wouldn't be too hasy in assigning it to a "tool" status, with hammer polls having been very common trade axes often used as tomohawks, for example, in North america with the native American tribes.
The curled blade edges are indeed unique and seem out of place with the rough forging apparent on the rest of the axehead, a lot of work that's strictly for effect on what would otherwise be considered a utilitarian piece, also the reason I suspect that it might have military/weapons origins.
The way the haft is wrapped in what appears to be iron banding is only commonly seen in African axes, but that doesn't mean it wasn't used occasionally elsewhere while the tacks around the top and bottom of the banding is a feature seen in many native American, African and even Middle Eastern hafted weapons, although rarely on tools.
This is going to sound way off the beaten path, but I suspect that it might be a European trade axe that ended up in either North or South American Indian hands, with my instincts leaning toward the latter, possibly Portuguese or Spanish colonial.
Of course, there's always the possibility that it's a Rennaisance Fair creation from an imaginative smith, but I feel that is highly unlikely.
As a "chopper" of course, you know that I like it!**grin**
Mike

15th June 2005, 05:04 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,347	Personal Observation This axe strikes me (no pun intended) as more of a tool than a weapon . It is in some ways quite similar to an earlier style of axe used in the West for shingling . Attached Images

15th June 2005, 04:08 PM	#1
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Bringing this one up again. I hope someone will have look at it too.

15th June 2005, 04:55 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	This axe gives me an Indian feel - but don't ask me to give an explanation why. It could very well me an village made Indian axe - but it could also come from a lot of other places - like India

15th June 2005, 06:56 PM	#4
Bill Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago area Posts: 327	the handel may be too long for a tool, no wear signs as a tool would be constantly used, don't think a tool would get the decoration either.

15th June 2005, 09:00 PM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,310	It looks more like an award axe, but not Indo-persian. And Rick, thank you - you are a punny guy after all.

16th June 2005, 09:44 AM	#6
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	It looks like a tool to me, too; heavy and plain with a flat hammer poll. I don't know if I can expand on this in a meaningful way or where it comes from, but I don't know that that is the original handle. The handle is of round cross-section? This is seen in some regions (already mentioned, I think; India and Africa). The method of attachment is unusualy for Africa. Most traditional African axes are tanged, and most European style axes I've seen copied in Africa, Asia, the Americas are rather plain and simple (indeed usually the head is a simple quadralateral when viewed from the side). I don't know what this is and am guessing. Could it be a reproduction of some type? The heavy hammer poll is a tool feature and meshes well with the hammered surface and the thick walls of the socket; the curled ends of the blade and the silver overlay on the handle both seem peculiar in this context? Note the dimple in the middle of the poll. I don't know just note it.

16th June 2005, 05:31 PM	#7
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	A VERY interesting item, and I wouldn't be too hasy in assigning it to a "tool" status, with hammer polls having been very common trade axes often used as tomohawks, for example, in North america with the native American tribes. The curled blade edges are indeed unique and seem out of place with the rough forging apparent on the rest of the axehead, a lot of work that's strictly for effect on what would otherwise be considered a utilitarian piece, also the reason I suspect that it might have military/weapons origins. The way the haft is wrapped in what appears to be iron banding is only commonly seen in African axes, but that doesn't mean it wasn't used occasionally elsewhere while the tacks around the top and bottom of the banding is a feature seen in many native American, African and even Middle Eastern hafted weapons, although rarely on tools. This is going to sound way off the beaten path, but I suspect that it might be a European trade axe that ended up in either North or South American Indian hands, with my instincts leaning toward the latter, possibly Portuguese or Spanish colonial. Of course, there's always the possibility that it's a Rennaisance Fair creation from an imaginative smith, but I feel that is highly unlikely. As a "chopper" of course, you know that I like it!grin Mike