Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

katana · 24th March 2008, 06:14 PM

Hi,
thank you all for your contributions ...its greatly appreciated

Vandoo, your input has been outstanding

Realising the rarity of very old iron/steel weapons ..... except those with 'trade' blades, axe heads etc. I have been researching the possible 'lack' of iron smelting/working in the America's pre-Columbus.
Although there were many iron ore deposits and vast wooded areas that could provide the charcoal to 'fire' the furnaces, most experts had agreed that iron smelting was unknown to the Native Indians.

However, more evidence has been unearthed that this may be incorrect ...it would seem some tribes did have possible 'access' to the technology required to produce iron/steel. It seems that this 'art' could have been adopted from very early Indo /European settlers..... as the design of the furnaces are identical to those found in Europe during the late iron age. However, this is controversial as others believe that copper casting occurred at this site.(Spruce Hill)

Spruce Hill is one such site....
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3...WcAsa3l4&hl=en

The use of copper for weapons etc. pre-Columbus is also 'hotly' contested ... however metallurgists are becoming more convinced that copper casting was occurring approx. 1000 BC

http://www.iwaynet.net/~wdc/copper.htm

It would seem that for a number of reasons metal smelting/working was not common to the various Indian tribes. Perhaps due to the nomadic/semi nomadic lifestyles of many of the tribes the amount of effort to construct furnaces etc that would have been only temporarily used was not cost effective in terms of time and resources. The nomadic lifestyle was due to the need to follow/find food sources at differing times of the year. Finding sources of iron ore would not be a priority.

The effectiveness of flint blades/spearheads/arrowheads perhaps were adequate enough for their needs ...that iron/steel equivalents were deemed unnecessary. The prime weapon/hunting tool tended to be the bow, their skill as archers meant that the 'knapped' flint arrowheads were greatly effective due to their accuracy ...after they were known to take down adult Bison with arrows and spears.....no mean feat.

Inter-tribal conflict saw the increase of weaponry diversity, the flint axe evolved into the fighting Tomahawk with either flint stone or bone heads and later copper/iron/ steel. Designed for close quarter fighting or thrown when appropriate. Wooden clubs of various types, some studded with flint were of course common. The gun stock club IMHO is very interesting. Because of the relatively slow re-loading of a musket, early colonists resorted to use the stock as a club. The Indians must have seen this as an effective design and adopted it. Also, I can find no evidence of any type of sword used by the Indians, metal or otherwise even though early settlers would have pocessed them.

Whilst searching the net for info. I found this....not related to weaponry ...but thought it relevant to the thread...

http://kowincidence.blogspot.com/200...e_archive.html

Regards David

24th March 2008, 06:14 PM	#8
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi, thank you all for your contributions ...its greatly appreciated Vandoo, your input has been outstanding Realising the rarity of very old iron/steel weapons ..... except those with 'trade' blades, axe heads etc. I have been researching the possible 'lack' of iron smelting/working in the America's pre-Columbus. Although there were many iron ore deposits and vast wooded areas that could provide the charcoal to 'fire' the furnaces, most experts had agreed that iron smelting was unknown to the Native Indians. However, more evidence has been unearthed that this may be incorrect ...it would seem some tribes did have possible 'access' to the technology required to produce iron/steel. It seems that this 'art' could have been adopted from very early Indo /European settlers..... as the design of the furnaces are identical to those found in Europe during the late iron age. However, this is controversial as others believe that copper casting occurred at this site.(Spruce Hill) Spruce Hill is one such site.... http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3...WcAsa3l4&hl=en The use of copper for weapons etc. pre-Columbus is also 'hotly' contested ... however metallurgists are becoming more convinced that copper casting was occurring approx. 1000 BC http://www.iwaynet.net/~wdc/copper.htm It would seem that for a number of reasons metal smelting/working was not common to the various Indian tribes. Perhaps due to the nomadic/semi nomadic lifestyles of many of the tribes the amount of effort to construct furnaces etc that would have been only temporarily used was not cost effective in terms of time and resources. The nomadic lifestyle was due to the need to follow/find food sources at differing times of the year. Finding sources of iron ore would not be a priority. The effectiveness of flint blades/spearheads/arrowheads perhaps were adequate enough for their needs ...that iron/steel equivalents were deemed unnecessary. The prime weapon/hunting tool tended to be the bow, their skill as archers meant that the 'knapped' flint arrowheads were greatly effective due to their accuracy ...after they were known to take down adult Bison with arrows and spears.....no mean feat. Inter-tribal conflict saw the increase of weaponry diversity, the flint axe evolved into the fighting Tomahawk with either flint stone or bone heads and later copper/iron/ steel. Designed for close quarter fighting or thrown when appropriate. Wooden clubs of various types, some studded with flint were of course common. The gun stock club IMHO is very interesting. Because of the relatively slow re-loading of a musket, early colonists resorted to use the stock as a club. The Indians must have seen this as an effective design and adopted it. Also, I can find no evidence of any type of sword used by the Indians, metal or otherwise even though early settlers would have pocessed them. Whilst searching the net for info. I found this....not related to weaponry ...but thought it relevant to the thread... http://kowincidence.blogspot.com/200...e_archive.html Regards David Last edited by katana; 24th March 2008 at 06:27 PM.