|
Spontoon |
When the iron trade axe was introduced to the indigenous peoples of the North American continent, it was an instant success. The club was already an important weapon, ceremonial piece and status symbol. The iron axe had more cutting power and was less brittle than the stone axes it quickly replaced. After a time though, the iron axe began to lose it's appeal to the warriors. The impressive weapon was also handy for chores, for cutting wood, for general domestic purposes. The iron tomahawk was losing it's sex appeal! Enter stage right the spontoon style blades. This was not a tool that women used...this was not domestic item - it was simply and purely a weapon and once again a status symbol. Meriwether Lewis once wrote of the spontoon style blades requested by the Mandan tribe:
Insert the Lewis quote here - RMJ
