steel and iron weaponry of the american natives.........

[Tim Simmons]

Copper weapons were at one time in use in pre Colombian North America. In forms unlike Central and South Americas. Okay it is not iron or steel, but I think it is odd that this metallurgy and often exquisite metalwork is so over looked. I have mentioned this book before "Miskwabik, Metal of Ritual, Metallurgy in Precontact Eastern North America" Amelia M. Trevelyan, The University press Of Kentucky. A little academic but not too challenging for the general reader, though I shall not try and quote from it. There is mention of tools and weapons, axes and adzes being large and heavy. I will also avoid the debate as to where this metallurgy originates from. Personally I see no reason why it is not home grown. As metal work was well established I also cannot see why this practice would not easily adopt the new material iron. Here are some of the interesting pics from the book

[David]

Here is another Tlingit dagger, this one made of copper. I am afraid i know less about the origins or dating of this one. It seems to many that you can find many Tlingit blades that are trade blades, but i believe the two examples i have posted were actually forged by the Tlingit.

[Tim Simmons]

This interesting axe is in the Museum Of America, Madrid well worth a visit. Bronze from Peru, with what looks like silver, tin or lead inlay. Bronze implies considerable metallurgy rather than working in copper as bronze is an alloy. So smelting was not an unknown activity. I like the way it mimics a stone axe, I would imagine this was an exceedingly special object, as it is today.