oldest ethnographic weapons handaxes

josh stout · 3rd March 2015, 03:31 PM

Good Chinese swords have left my price range, so I have been looking into a much older weapon/tool form, the stone hand axe. They were produced for well over a million years in the Lower Paleolithic/Old Stone age, but, in my opinion, they never disappeared, and continued to be produced into relatively modern times. As a collector, the chaos in north Africa is offering new opportunities for reasonably priced artifacts surface collected in the Sahara. This is a bit problematic, but, I would not consider this looting because surface collected items are largely un-datable and outside of an archaeological context.

Even more interesting, North American handaxes, which are not supposed to exist, are very reasonably priced, and quite common. They are called everything from chipped celts to axe blanks, but are, in my opinion, all the same thing. These were the original knives, and the most fruitful search term is "archaic knife". Look for the rough, slightly crude, examples, and you have a handaxe.

Neolithic examples are generally smaller, thinner, and more finely worked, but there is no absolute rule. I believe there is a link between shape and function (strangely this is debated in the archaeological community). Just as we recognize knives of many shapes as being the same thing, it is possible to recognize handaxes from many times and regions, well outside the region and period to which they are supposedly restricted.

They have shaped us more than any other thing, because they are what we have shaped more than any other thing.
Josh

A large handaxe from Northern California sold as a "hoe" and the same one next to a small million year old Moroccan example.

kronckew · 3rd March 2015, 05:12 PM

a stone axe chipped/flaked yesterday looks pretty much like one from 150,000 years ago. (unless you have it spend a few thousand years being blown around a desert.)

josh stout · 3rd March 2015, 10:10 PM

Very true, which is why I look for signs of patina just as I do for swords. Look near where the fingers are gripping on the top photo to see the black "desert varnish". That is several thousand years worth, typical of North American finds. The million-year old (plus or minus half a million) North African version has been sand blasted so long that individual layers of rock stand out. I know there are mint condition chipped stones out there, but just like with swords, I feel more confident buying the ones that look old. The old looking ones are cheaper, and usually indicate a surface find so they are also more ethical. Just as with swords, I am likely missing some gems that seem too good to be true, but I do like to know for sure when something is old.

Rick · 3rd March 2015, 11:38 PM

You could also call the N. African one a ventifact from that much erosion .

VANDOO · 4th March 2015, 07:09 AM

THIS SORT OF ARTIFACT IS FOUND AROUND THE WORLD AND FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES OF MANKIND TO VERY RECENT TIMES. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE NORTH AMERICAN STONE AGE ENDED COMPARABLY RECENTLY AND HAS NOT ENDED ENTIRELY IN PARTS OF SOUTH AMERICA AND NEW GUINEA YET.
THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF HAND AX WHICH ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS SCRAPERS IN NORTH AMERICA BUT SERVED AS A KNIFE, CHOPPER, AX OR SCRAPER AS NEEDED. YOUR RED MAHOGANY OBSIDIAN EXAMPLE IS VERY NICE AND NO DOUBT THE SOURCE OF THE MATERIAL IS KNOWN TO ARCHAEOLOGISTS. THESE SORTS OF STONE MATERIALS WERE TREASURED BY THE TRIBES AND TRADED WIDELY. THERE ARE USUALLY QUARRIES WHERE THE STONE IS FOUND AND OFTEN LARGE NUMBERS OF AX AND PARTIALLY WORKED ARTIFACTS LEFT THERE. I HAVE SEEN THIS IN AREAS OF TEXAS, ARIZONA AND AUSTRALIA.
SOME OF THESE HAND AXES ARE SHAPED TO FIT THE HAND IN A CERTAIN WAY AND OTHERS CAN BE TURNED AND USED ALL THE WAY AROUND AND WERE OFTEN USED WITH A FIBER WRAP TO PROTECT THE HANDS. YOUR OBSIDIAN EXAMPLE HAS THE KNIFE POINT AND AX BLADE AND SCRAPER DEPENDING ON HOW IT IS HELD.

josh stout · 4th March 2015, 05:57 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.

josh stout · 4th March 2015, 06:32 PM

Here is a large biface that I would call a neolithic handaxe. Found in Mali, it shows a nice patina, and has nice color.

The example is more or less symmetrical, and to me, seems distinctly different from the more common asymmetrical examples. For some reason, this is how most archaeologists would describe a handaxe, despite it being quite different visually.

VANDOO · 7th March 2015, 01:05 AM

THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF WHAT IS FOUND IN MY AREA WE REFER TO THEM AS SCRAPERS BUT THEY SERVE SEVERAL FUNCTIONS LIKE THE HAND AX DOES.
#1.THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES THAT HAS THE NATURAL SMOOTH RIND OF THE FLINT ROCK THAT FITS NICELY INTO THE PALM AND A SHARK TOOTH SHAPED BLADE.
#2 & #3. ARE REFERED TO AS TURTLE BACK SCRAPERS AND THE THICK ROUNDED BACK FITS IN THE PALM AND THE ENTIRE TOOL CAN BE ROTATED USING DIFERENT PARTS OF THE EDGE AS NEEDED.
#4 & #5. THIS ONE HAS THE NATURAL SMOOTH RIND LIKE THE #1 ABOVE BUT IS A DIFFERENT FORM. ONE PICTURE SHOWS HOW IT IS HELD.
#6. HERE IS A PICTURE OF RILEY-NUECES TOOLS. THIS HAS VARIOUS FORMS THE RETANGULAR ONE IS LIKE ONE I HAVE THAT HAS A KNOB LEFT ON ONE SIDE TO PUT YOUR THUMB ON FOR A SECURE GRIP.
THESE EXAMPLES ARE FROM TEXAS. THESE TOOLS ARE OFTEN DESIGNED TO FIT THE HAND AND HAVE VARIOUS KNOBS, CURVES AND HOLLOWS TO FACILITATE THE USERS GRIP AND ALIGN THE EDGE.

4th March 2015, 06:32 PM	#7
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	Here is a large biface that I would call a neolithic handaxe. Found in Mali, it shows a nice patina, and has nice color. The example is more or less symmetrical, and to me, seems distinctly different from the more common asymmetrical examples. For some reason, this is how most archaeologists would describe a handaxe, despite it being quite different visually. Attached Images

7th March 2015, 01:05 AM	#8
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF WHAT IS FOUND IN MY AREA WE REFER TO THEM AS SCRAPERS BUT THEY SERVE SEVERAL FUNCTIONS LIKE THE HAND AX DOES. #1.THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES THAT HAS THE NATURAL SMOOTH RIND OF THE FLINT ROCK THAT FITS NICELY INTO THE PALM AND A SHARK TOOTH SHAPED BLADE. #2 & #3. ARE REFERED TO AS TURTLE BACK SCRAPERS AND THE THICK ROUNDED BACK FITS IN THE PALM AND THE ENTIRE TOOL CAN BE ROTATED USING DIFERENT PARTS OF THE EDGE AS NEEDED. #4 & #5. THIS ONE HAS THE NATURAL SMOOTH RIND LIKE THE #1 ABOVE BUT IS A DIFFERENT FORM. ONE PICTURE SHOWS HOW IT IS HELD. #6. HERE IS A PICTURE OF RILEY-NUECES TOOLS. THIS HAS VARIOUS FORMS THE RETANGULAR ONE IS LIKE ONE I HAVE THAT HAS A KNOB LEFT ON ONE SIDE TO PUT YOUR THUMB ON FOR A SECURE GRIP. THESE EXAMPLES ARE FROM TEXAS. THESE TOOLS ARE OFTEN DESIGNED TO FIT THE HAND AND HAVE VARIOUS KNOBS, CURVES AND HOLLOWS TO FACILITATE THE USERS GRIP AND ALIGN THE EDGE. Attached Images

3rd March 2015, 03:31 PM	#1
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	oldest ethnographic weapons handaxes Good Chinese swords have left my price range, so I have been looking into a much older weapon/tool form, the stone hand axe. They were produced for well over a million years in the Lower Paleolithic/Old Stone age, but, in my opinion, they never disappeared, and continued to be produced into relatively modern times. As a collector, the chaos in north Africa is offering new opportunities for reasonably priced artifacts surface collected in the Sahara. This is a bit problematic, but, I would not consider this looting because surface collected items are largely un-datable and outside of an archaeological context. Even more interesting, North American handaxes, which are not supposed to exist, are very reasonably priced, and quite common. They are called everything from chipped celts to axe blanks, but are, in my opinion, all the same thing. These were the original knives, and the most fruitful search term is "archaic knife". Look for the rough, slightly crude, examples, and you have a handaxe. Neolithic examples are generally smaller, thinner, and more finely worked, but there is no absolute rule. I believe there is a link between shape and function (strangely this is debated in the archaeological community). Just as we recognize knives of many shapes as being the same thing, it is possible to recognize handaxes from many times and regions, well outside the region and period to which they are supposedly restricted. They have shaped us more than any other thing, because they are what we have shaped more than any other thing. Josh A large handaxe from Northern California sold as a "hoe" and the same one next to a small million year old Moroccan example. Attached Images

3rd March 2015, 05:12 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,186	a stone axe chipped/flaked yesterday looks pretty much like one from 150,000 years ago. (unless you have it spend a few thousand years being blown around a desert.)

3rd March 2015, 10:10 PM	#3
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	Very true, which is why I look for signs of patina just as I do for swords. Look near where the fingers are gripping on the top photo to see the black "desert varnish". That is several thousand years worth, typical of North American finds. The million-year old (plus or minus half a million) North African version has been sand blasted so long that individual layers of rock stand out. I know there are mint condition chipped stones out there, but just like with swords, I feel more confident buying the ones that look old. The old looking ones are cheaper, and usually indicate a surface find so they are also more ethical. Just as with swords, I am likely missing some gems that seem too good to be true, but I do like to know for sure when something is old.

3rd March 2015, 11:38 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	You could also call the N. African one a ventifact from that much erosion .

4th March 2015, 07:09 AM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THIS SORT OF ARTIFACT IS FOUND AROUND THE WORLD AND FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES OF MANKIND TO VERY RECENT TIMES. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE NORTH AMERICAN STONE AGE ENDED COMPARABLY RECENTLY AND HAS NOT ENDED ENTIRELY IN PARTS OF SOUTH AMERICA AND NEW GUINEA YET. THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF HAND AX WHICH ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS SCRAPERS IN NORTH AMERICA BUT SERVED AS A KNIFE, CHOPPER, AX OR SCRAPER AS NEEDED. YOUR RED MAHOGANY OBSIDIAN EXAMPLE IS VERY NICE AND NO DOUBT THE SOURCE OF THE MATERIAL IS KNOWN TO ARCHAEOLOGISTS. THESE SORTS OF STONE MATERIALS WERE TREASURED BY THE TRIBES AND TRADED WIDELY. THERE ARE USUALLY QUARRIES WHERE THE STONE IS FOUND AND OFTEN LARGE NUMBERS OF AX AND PARTIALLY WORKED ARTIFACTS LEFT THERE. I HAVE SEEN THIS IN AREAS OF TEXAS, ARIZONA AND AUSTRALIA. SOME OF THESE HAND AXES ARE SHAPED TO FIT THE HAND IN A CERTAIN WAY AND OTHERS CAN BE TURNED AND USED ALL THE WAY AROUND AND WERE OFTEN USED WITH A FIBER WRAP TO PROTECT THE HANDS. YOUR OBSIDIAN EXAMPLE HAS THE KNIFE POINT AND AX BLADE AND SCRAPER DEPENDING ON HOW IT IS HELD.

4th March 2015, 05:57 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.