Native American weapons can be traced back to the Stone Age. Native American weapons were a very important part of their culture. From common day chores to heavy duty hunting or fighting, traditional weapons, such as the bow and arrow, tomahawks, spears, war clubs, and blow darts, were a part of their everyday lives (Native American Weapons, n.d.).
The bow and arrow was one of the most popular amongst the Natives. They were used in warfare and for hunting small and large game. Most bows were made out of wood and carved into a double curve (Native American Weapons, n.d.) To strengthen the bows, the natives would blacken them with sinew and add animal tendons to allow more flexibility. Bowstrings were also constructed out of sinew, and there …show more content…
The two main types of tomahawks were the Pipe Tomahawks and the Spiked Tomahawks and there was also the Missouri War Axe. Pipe Tomahawks had the same shaft of wood serve as both the handle and the body of a pipe. Many were elaborate, made with carvings and were never used in battle. Others were more simply designed and functioned as both a military weapon and a pipe. Spiked Tomahawks had a single spike that was found on some war clubs, so that the tomahawk could still be used as a piercing weapon as well as a hatchet. Missouri War axes were unusual because of the uncommon geometric patterns cut out of the axe blade. While lightening the blade, it weakened it a considerable amount, making these unfit for battles.
As seen in the name, war clubs were not used for hunting they were used for warfare, duels, executions, and ceremonial purposes (Native American Weapons and Tools, 2016). Ball-Headed War Clubs were curved shafts of wood that had a heavy, spherical head, allowing this weapon to give lethal blows to the head. Plains War Clubs had wooden shafts and a stone head tied to handle with rawhide. Northwest Coast War Clubs were wooden clubs shaped like a baseball bat, and were elaborately carved and ornamented which made them functionally unusable in combat (Native American Indian Weapons,
The bow and arrow was one of the most popular amongst the Natives. They were used in warfare and for hunting small and large game. Most bows were made out of wood and carved into a double curve (Native American Weapons, n.d.) To strengthen the bows, the natives would blacken them with sinew and add animal tendons to allow more flexibility. Bowstrings were also constructed out of sinew, and there …show more content…
The two main types of tomahawks were the Pipe Tomahawks and the Spiked Tomahawks and there was also the Missouri War Axe. Pipe Tomahawks had the same shaft of wood serve as both the handle and the body of a pipe. Many were elaborate, made with carvings and were never used in battle. Others were more simply designed and functioned as both a military weapon and a pipe. Spiked Tomahawks had a single spike that was found on some war clubs, so that the tomahawk could still be used as a piercing weapon as well as a hatchet. Missouri War axes were unusual because of the uncommon geometric patterns cut out of the axe blade. While lightening the blade, it weakened it a considerable amount, making these unfit for battles.
As seen in the name, war clubs were not used for hunting they were used for warfare, duels, executions, and ceremonial purposes (Native American Weapons and Tools, 2016). Ball-Headed War Clubs were curved shafts of wood that had a heavy, spherical head, allowing this weapon to give lethal blows to the head. Plains War Clubs had wooden shafts and a stone head tied to handle with rawhide. Northwest Coast War Clubs were wooden clubs shaped like a baseball bat, and were elaborately carved and ornamented which made them functionally unusable in combat (Native American Indian Weapons,