AUS Aboriginal hand axe

Tim Simmons · 16th October 2013, 07:33 PM

Not strictly a weapon but we are interested in all forms of ethnographic cutting implements? If somebody surprised you at your camp and this was all that was at hand as a weapon, it could make a mess of the strangers face and head. Still to arrive. I show it with some other professional pictures from "A Record in Stone, The Study of Australia's Flaked Stone Artefacts, museum Victoria Aboriginal Studies Press, Simon Holdaway and Nicola Stern".

Tim Simmons · 18th October 2013, 05:02 PM

Just adding my pictures that are a little more clear.

Tim Simmons · 18th October 2013, 07:53 PM

Just enjoying disseminating useless knowledge, nos 6 and nos 12 are good similar examples from "Australian Aboriginal Stone Implements, F. D. McCarthy, Australian Museum Sydney"

josh stout · 19th October 2013, 01:59 AM

I am fascenated by hand axes. The one you show is strikingly similar to Acheulian forms dating to 2 millian years ago or so, made by Homo erectus. Yet yours may be little more than a century old to about 40 thousand years. The older ones tend to be larger, but the general shape is the same, particularly the sharp edge all the way around. There is a bit of a mystery as to what they were for, and why the design is so persistant. Even older tools, whose design also persisted, had a round edge for grasping, oposite the sharp one.
Most archeologists/anthropologists would not try and link the Austrialian versions with the much older African/Asian/Europian versions, but the similarity is clear. In my opinion they were all perpose knives that could be used as a throwing star.

Tim Simmons · 19th October 2013, 10:27 AM

Thank you josh. There is a great deal of debate about the use of stone implements like this. Students and collectors find many hand axes at campsite assemblages that show no sign of use wear which can lead to problems in cataloging finds. Signs of use may depend on what materials the axe was used on. This hand axe appears to be of quartzite which would not hold a fine sharp cutting edge like flint/chert or greenstone. I think a common sense view as a general forming to cutting tool is the answer. A fine sharp blade would be good for chopping and stripping large sections of bark from trees. I can see this stone being used to chop bone in sections in readiness for fine work with other tools. It could be used to roughly work many materials.

Use as a weapon, quote F. D. MaCarthy, Australian Aboriginal Stone Implements.

Missile Stones- natural stones of a convenient shape were thrown at game and enemies. Cook's landing parties at Botany Bay were attacked with them. No specially shaped types are known.

If you have grown up throwing stones as a weapon, then held as shown it would be a deadly weapon.

Tim Simmons · 19th October 2013, 10:31 AM

Ready to throw.

16th October 2013, 07:33 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	AUS Aboriginal hand axe Not strictly a weapon but we are interested in all forms of ethnographic cutting implements? If somebody surprised you at your camp and this was all that was at hand as a weapon, it could make a mess of the strangers face and head. Still to arrive. I show it with some other professional pictures from "A Record in Stone, The Study of Australia's Flaked Stone Artefacts, museum Victoria Aboriginal Studies Press, Simon Holdaway and Nicola Stern". Attached Images

18th October 2013, 05:02 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Just adding my pictures that are a little more clear. Attached Images

18th October 2013, 07:53 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Just enjoying disseminating useless knowledge, nos 6 and nos 12 are good similar examples from "Australian Aboriginal Stone Implements, F. D. McCarthy, Australian Museum Sydney" Attached Images

19th October 2013, 10:27 AM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Thank you josh. There is a great deal of debate about the use of stone implements like this. Students and collectors find many hand axes at campsite assemblages that show no sign of use wear which can lead to problems in cataloging finds. Signs of use may depend on what materials the axe was used on. This hand axe appears to be of quartzite which would not hold a fine sharp cutting edge like flint/chert or greenstone. I think a common sense view as a general forming to cutting tool is the answer. A fine sharp blade would be good for chopping and stripping large sections of bark from trees. I can see this stone being used to chop bone in sections in readiness for fine work with other tools. It could be used to roughly work many materials. Use as a weapon, quote F. D. MaCarthy, Australian Aboriginal Stone Implements. Missile Stones- natural stones of a convenient shape were thrown at game and enemies. Cook's landing parties at Botany Bay were attacked with them. No specially shaped types are known. If you have grown up throwing stones as a weapon, then held as shown it would be a deadly weapon. Attached Images

19th October 2013, 10:31 AM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Ready to throw. Attached Images

19th October 2013, 01:59 AM	#4
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	I am fascenated by hand axes. The one you show is strikingly similar to Acheulian forms dating to 2 millian years ago or so, made by Homo erectus. Yet yours may be little more than a century old to about 40 thousand years. The older ones tend to be larger, but the general shape is the same, particularly the sharp edge all the way around. There is a bit of a mystery as to what they were for, and why the design is so persistant. Even older tools, whose design also persisted, had a round edge for grasping, oposite the sharp one. Most archeologists/anthropologists would not try and link the Austrialian versions with the much older African/Asian/Europian versions, but the similarity is clear. In my opinion they were all perpose knives that could be used as a throwing star.