tomahawk (axe (weapons: edged))

Axe with a wooden haft that is painted red and tapers towards the bottom end. It has a three-sided, white stone blade, which tapers to a point and is decorated with a black and gold design across the middle. The blade is attached to the haft with a resinous substance, covered with red pigment. The haft has several longitudinal splits. The red pigment on the head and the top of the haft is loose, and sheds when the object is handled.

Label: Old display label, reading 'WAR PICK, WITH STONE BLADE / HELD IN A CLEFT OF THE HAFT / BY MEANS OF HARD GUM AND / A LASHING. / CENTRAL AUSTRALIA'.

fighting

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
9.353
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 615 mm x 195 mm x 40 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
wood; stone; resin; pigment
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
SHAREABLE LINK

Continue exploring anthropology

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk