Greenchist fighting adze

Tim Simmons · 29th April 2012, 07:12 PM

In my continuing persuit of stone weapons I got this from the usual global flea market. A Papuan West Highland adze. It is the most lovely thing. Beautiful in the hand. The blade is greenchist or greenstone in ways very similar to nephrrite and jadeite but not those. It can have a similar hardness on the Mohs scale, around 6. There is a great help if you are interested in Papuan stone tools and weapons

"Culture of Stone, sacred and profane uses of stone among the Dani. O. W. "Bud" Hampton, Texas A&M University Press."

Greenstone is not the hardest of tool stone. The black stones tend to be harder for tree felling and other hard work. I do not want to post pages from the book so I will just give a flavour of what can be gleaned from the work. Mr Hampton does use some fancy words when simple ones would do. This axe is not "ANTIQUE" but would fit with Mr Hampton's field research in the very early 1980s. The people use the spear as a priciple weapon, the adze is used by some groups as a weapon. The halft is not long, a total of 42cm long. The hight of an adult male in the region is around 4' 6" so it need not be huge. This example is well handled and the blade is perfect which makes me believe it was a weapon, made for hitting soft things like people. It is very fine and must have been somebodies pride and joy. Just look at the exquisite multi fibre cordage.

Indianajones · 29th April 2012, 09:50 PM

Hi Timm,
nice axe indeed. Perhaps not the oldest but interesting nontheless! The stone looks to me more like nephrite which is more found along the shore (more in direction of New Zealand) as it is green with the characteristic black spots.
The rope used -am not sure if you know- is actually also quite special as the bright yellow and reddishbrown are made from orchidstems! These are therefore more laborintensive to make. These were also used to make a special bodyarmor as the fibers are quite sturdy n smooth (arrows would bounce off).
The only reason why I think it may not be so old are the diagonal lines on the wood shaft and the patine. Could be early collected?!?

Anyway congratulations! Still a nice finds (surely exchanged for a few nuts n peanuts

not?)

Tim Simmons · 29th April 2012, 09:58 PM

Hello, Not old but collected some thirty years ago by missionary. The marks on the haft are not file marks. I checked with a x10 loop and they are very small chips from an adze. There is hand grime my pictures do not show it well. Fighting was not is not rare. I am pleased somebody else can see the beauty. The veriagation is common with argillite.

Sajen · 29th April 2012, 10:13 PM

Agree that it is a very nice one, congrats!

Regards,

Detlef

Tim Simmons · 29th April 2012, 10:22 PM

More stuff on the rock base on the field research by Mr Hampton he is qualifide if that helps? A masters in geology from the University of Colorado along with five other degrees. The stuff is Epidote amphibolite to epidote chlorite which makes the rocks green.
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/General/Class/metamorphic.html

Indianajones · 30th April 2012, 06:44 PM

Hi, so does this mean this green type of rock is also being found inland of New Guinea?
Also, the more I look at that wonderfull bicolor rope, the more I like it! Also as it is not bicolored all the way.
Surely an authentic item. The marks on the handle are not a negative, its just I think anyone can see its not an 'ancient used and smoothly patinated handle'.
Perhaps you should handle the axe yourself quite some more and help the patine . . .

29th April 2012, 07:12 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Greenchist fighting adze In my continuing persuit of stone weapons I got this from the usual global flea market. A Papuan West Highland adze. It is the most lovely thing. Beautiful in the hand. The blade is greenchist or greenstone in ways very similar to nephrrite and jadeite but not those. It can have a similar hardness on the Mohs scale, around 6. There is a great help if you are interested in Papuan stone tools and weapons "Culture of Stone, sacred and profane uses of stone among the Dani. O. W. "Bud" Hampton, Texas A&M University Press." Greenstone is not the hardest of tool stone. The black stones tend to be harder for tree felling and other hard work. I do not want to post pages from the book so I will just give a flavour of what can be gleaned from the work. Mr Hampton does use some fancy words when simple ones would do. This axe is not "ANTIQUE" but would fit with Mr Hampton's field research in the very early 1980s. The people use the spear as a priciple weapon, the adze is used by some groups as a weapon. The halft is not long, a total of 42cm long. The hight of an adult male in the region is around 4' 6" so it need not be huge. This example is well handled and the blade is perfect which makes me believe it was a weapon, made for hitting soft things like people. It is very fine and must have been somebodies pride and joy. Just look at the exquisite multi fibre cordage. Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 29th April 2012 at 07:43 PM. Reason: correcting my bad English

29th April 2012, 09:58 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Hello, Not old but collected some thirty years ago by missionary. The marks on the haft are not file marks. I checked with a x10 loop and they are very small chips from an adze. There is hand grime my pictures do not show it well. Fighting was not is not rare. I am pleased somebody else can see the beauty. The veriagation is common with argillite. Last edited by Tim Simmons; 29th April 2012 at 10:10 PM.

29th April 2012, 09:50 PM	#2
Indianajones Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 180	Hi Timm, nice axe indeed. Perhaps not the oldest but interesting nontheless! The stone looks to me more like nephrite which is more found along the shore (more in direction of New Zealand) as it is green with the characteristic black spots. The rope used -am not sure if you know- is actually also quite special as the bright yellow and reddishbrown are made from orchidstems! These are therefore more laborintensive to make. These were also used to make a special bodyarmor as the fibers are quite sturdy n smooth (arrows would bounce off). The only reason why I think it may not be so old are the diagonal lines on the wood shaft and the patine. Could be early collected?!? Anyway congratulations! Still a nice finds (surely exchanged for a few nuts n peanuts not?)

29th April 2012, 10:13 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Agree that it is a very nice one, congrats! Regards, Detlef

29th April 2012, 10:22 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	More stuff on the rock base on the field research by Mr Hampton he is qualifide if that helps? A masters in geology from the University of Colorado along with five other degrees. The stuff is Epidote amphibolite to epidote chlorite which makes the rocks green. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/General/Class/metamorphic.html

30th April 2012, 06:44 PM	#6
Indianajones Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 180	Hi, so does this mean this green type of rock is also being found inland of New Guinea? Also, the more I look at that wonderfull bicolor rope, the more I like it! Also as it is not bicolored all the way. Surely an authentic item. The marks on the handle are not a negative, its just I think anyone can see its not an 'ancient used and smoothly patinated handle'. Perhaps you should handle the axe yourself quite some more and help the patine . . .