Mendi fighting axe

[Tim Simmons]

My new toy with serious business end, yet to arrive. I think you can get some idea that it has quite a heavy blade from the picture that shows just a glimpse of one side. What interested me most was the nice subtle rounded finish to the grinding of the blade- best seen in the right hand face of the blade. For some reason the left hand face does not show this so well although still noticable. The basic measurements are 22" x 22" which is a few inches smaller than a fancy and purely ceremonial axe I have already. So I am looking forward to viewing the two together.

[Tim Simmons]

At last it is in my hands. This has turned out to be a splendid addition to my collection. I am greatly surprised and pleased to find that this really super axe blade appears to be a text book example from a known quarry. I will probably have to make two posts to show all the information I have. The research comes from a paper-

" Stone Axes Factories in the Highlands of East New Guinea. Chappell, J proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 32, 1966 "

The field work being carried out 1963-64. Firstly I will post more pictures of the blade and complete axe. Secondly I will post the relevant extracts from the paper. I have not taken detail pictures of the binding which looks like tree or shrub bark.

Looking at the blade you can see the pyritized structure to the stone. This is important to identifying the souce quarry. It is a lovely big blade just right for rearranging the head of an enemy.

[Tim Simmons]

The blade fits all description and illustations in the paper. As the auther suggests the quarry has been unworked for 20-25 years that puts the blade to the early1940s at least.

Quarry no8 in the Kubor mountains. Fig. 2 C.

The fine ceremonial blades are said to take up to 3 weeks grinding. I have tried to add the pages in sequence but they are all jumbled up. Hope it is not too hard to follow?

[Tim Simmons]

Interesting article about fighting. From July 1939 edition "Asia" American Magazine of the Orient. The "Kaman" though I cannot find any information on "Kaman" are from the headwaters of the Purari River which is south of the Asaro River illustrated in the previous posting.
I had to pay for it but you can have it for free. Some people love every penny in an unpleasant way. Should upload in order as all pages are reduced to the same size.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams Tim Simmons ~ This is amazing ... I simply had to give this one a bump !! Incredible !!

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Tim Simmons]

Thank you Ibrahiim very kind of you. I am sorry the first section of text is all jumbled up but is seems you have not had a problem following it. I too think it quite fascinating. I could not believe how in a period of a few weeks all the information just came together. I did have to probe and the first section came from a specialist book and paper seller.

[T. Koch]

Hi Tim and thank you for this excellent article - what a great read! I must have missed it the first time around. It is really a fascinating article and also to think how relatively late this lifestyle took place. I love how detailed the fighting tactics of the Kaman are described. I've been on the hunt for a similar description of tactics among the Dayak tribes of Borneo, but no luck so far.

Do you have any idea how the initial group of spearmen are chosen from each side? Do they pick their best warriors to begin with, and then substitute with lesser skilled men when some of the first are wounded? Does the chief himself ever fight?

Your axe looks great too! I really admire the high level of finish they seem to have. I'm wondering why they haven't equipped them with a more comfortable handle and a bulbous pommel to aid in retaining during fighting. Maybe the handles are designed for easy retrieval from the belt?

Thanks for sharing all of it - it was just super!


All the best, - Thor

[colin henshaw]

Thought this might go well with Tim's thread - from the book "The History of Mankind" by F Ratzel 1896.