Double- and single-bit felling axesA collection ofbronze socketed axe blades from theBronze Age found in Germany. This was the prime tool of the period, and also seems to have been used as a store of value.
Anaxe (/æks/; often spelledax inAmerican English;see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for thousands of years to shape, split, and cut wood, to harvest timber, and as a weapon. The axe has many forms and specialised uses but generally consists of a head with a handle (also called "haft" or "helve").
Before the modern axe, thestone-agehand axe without a handle was used from 1.5 million yearsBP. Hafted axes (those with a handle) date from at least 46,000 years BP by Northern Indigenous Australians. The earliest examples of handled axes have heads of stone with some form of wooden handle attached (hafted) in a method to suit the available materials and use. Axes made ofcopper,bronze,iron andsteel appeared as these technologies developed.
The axe is an example of asimple machine, as it is a type ofwedge, or dualinclined plane. This reduces the effort needed by the wood chopper. It splits the wood into two parts by the pressure concentration at the blade. The handle of the axe also acts as alever allowing the user to increase the force at the cutting edge. Generally, cutting axes, which are used forfelling,limbing, andbucking, have a shallow (acute) wedge angle, whereas splitting axes have a deeper (more obtuse) angle. Most axes are double bevelled (i.e. symmetrical about the axis of the blade), but some specialistbroadaxes have a single bevel blade.
Most modern axes have steel heads and wooden handles, although plastic orfibreglass handles are also common. Modern axes are specialised by use, size and form. Hafted axes with short handles designed for use with one hand are often called "hand axes" but the term "hand axe" refers to axes without handles as well.Hatchets tend to be small hafted axes often with a hammer on the back side (the poll). As an easy-to-make tool, the axe has frequently been used in combat, and is one of humanity's oldest weapons.
The distribution of stone axes is an important indication of prehistorictrade.[7] Thin sectioning is used to determine theprovenance of the stone blades. InEurope,Neolithic "axe factories", where thousands of ground stone axes were roughed out, are known from many places, such as:[citation needed]
From the lateNeolithic/Chalcolithic onwards, axes were made ofcopper or copper mixed witharsenic. These axes were flat and hafted much like their stone predecessors. Axes continued to be made in this manner with the introduction ofBronzemetallurgy. Eventually the hafting method changed and the flat axe developed into the "flanged axe", thenpalstaves, and later winged and socketed axes.[citation needed]
Hand axes from Swanscombe at theBritish Museum that belongs toSwanscombe Man who lived 200,000–300,000 years ago
A bronze axe from the ChineseShang dynasty, 12th to 11th centuries BC
At least since the lateNeolithic, elaborate axes (battle-axes, T-axes, etc.) had areligious significance and probably indicated the exaltedstatus of their owner. Certain types almost never show traces ofwear; deposits of unshafted axe blades from the middle Neolithic (such as at theSomerset Levels in Britain) may have been gifts to thedeities.[citation needed]
A collection of old Australian cutting tools includingbroad axes, broad hatchets, mortising axes, carpenter's axes, and felling axes. Also fiveadzes, a corner chisel, twofroes, and atwybil.
InMinoanCrete, the double axe (labrys) had a special significance, used by priestesses in religious ceremonies.[citation needed]
In 1998, a labrys, complete with an elaborately embellished haft, was found at Cham-Eslen,Canton of Zug,Switzerland. The haft was 120 cm (47 in) long and wrapped in ornamentedbirch-bark. The axe blade is 17.4 cm (6.9 in) long and made ofantigorite, mined in theGotthard-area. The haft goes through a biconical drilled hole and is fastened by wedges of antler and by birch-tar. It belongs to the earlyCortaillod culture.[citation needed]
Axe pictured in the coat of arms ofTórshavnTwo axes pictured in the former coat of arms ofKalvola
Infolklore, stone axes were sometimes believed to bethunderbolts and were used to guard buildings againstlightning, as it was believed (mythically) that lightning never struck the same place twice. This has caused some skewing of axe distributions.[citation needed]
Steel axes were important insuperstition as well. Athrown axe could keep off ahailstorm, sometimes an axe was placed in thecrops, with the cutting edge to the skies to protect the harvest against badweather. An upright axe buried under thesill of a house would keep offwitches, while an axe under thebed would assuremaleoffspring.[citation needed]
InYorùbá mythology, the oshe (double-headed axe) symbolisesShango,Orisha (god) of thunder and lightning. It is said to represent swift and balanced justice. Shango altars often contain a carved figure of a woman holding a gift to the god with a double-bladed axe sticking up from her head.[citation needed]
TheArkalochori Axe is a bronze, Minoan, axe from the second millennium BC thought to be used for religious purposes. Inscriptions on this axe have been compared with other ancient writing systems.[citation needed]
Broadaxe: Used with the grain of the wood in precision splitting or "hewing" (i.e. the squaring-off of round timbers usually for use in construction). Broad axe bits are most commonlychisel-shaped (i.e. one flat and one beveled edge) facilitating more controlled work as the flat cheek passes along the squared timber.
Adze: A variation featuring a head perpendicular to that of an axe. Rather than splitting wood side-by-side, it is used torip a level surface into a horizontal piece of wood. It can also be used as apickaxe for breaking up rocks andclay.
Hatchet: A small, light axe designed for use in one hand specifically whilecamping ortravelling.
Carpenter's axe: A small axe, usually slightly larger than a hatchet, used in traditionalwoodwork,joinery andlog-building. It has a pronounced beard and finger notch to allow a "choked" grip for precise control. The poll is designed for use as a hammer.
Hand axe: A small axe used for intermediate chopping, similar to hatchets.
Mortising axe: Used for creating mortises, a process which begins bydrilling two holes at the ends of the intended mortise. Then the wood between the holes is removed with the mortising axe. Some forms of the tool have one blade, which may be pushed, swung or struck with amallet. Others, such as twybil, bisaigüe and piochon have two, one of which is used for separating the fibres, and the other for levering out the waste.[10]
Battle axe: In its most common form, an arm-length weapon borne in one or both hands. Compared to a sword swing, it delivers more cleaving power against a smaller target area, making it more effective against armour, due to concentrating more of its weight in the axehead.[11][original research?]
Dagger-axe (Ji or Ge): A variant of Chinesepolearm-like weapon with a divided two-part head, composed of the usual straight blade and ascythe-like blade. The straight blade is used to stab or feint, then the foe's body or head may be cut by pulling the scythe-like horizontal blade backwards. Ge has the horizontal blade but sometimes does not have the straight spear.
Dane axe: a long-handled weapon with a large flat blade, often attributed to theNorsemen.
Halberd: a spear-like weapon with a hooked poll, effective against mountedcavalry.
Hurlbat: An entirely metal throwing axe sharpened on every auxiliary end to a point or blade, practically guaranteeing some form of damage against its target.
Panabas: A chopping bladed tool or weapon from the Philippines often described as a cross between a sword and a battle axe.
Parashu: Theparashu (Sanskrit:paraṣu) is an Indian battle-axe. It is generally wielded with two hands but could also be used with only one. It is depicted as the primary weapon ofParashurama, the 6th Avatar of LordVishnu inHinduism.
Poleaxe: designed to defeatplate armour. Its axe (or hammer) head is much narrower than other axes, which accounts for its penetrating power.
Throwing axe: A weapon that was thrown and designed to strike with a similar splitting action as its handheld counterparts. These are often small in profile and usable with one hand.
Tomahawk: used almost exclusively by Native Americans, its blade was originally crafted of stone. Along with the familiar war version, which could be fashioned as a throwing weapon, the pipe tomahawk was a ceremonial and diplomatic tool.
Yue: A Chinese weapon with very large axe blade, also served asceremonial weapon.
Ice axe orclimbing axe: A number of different styles of ice axes are designed forice climbing and enlarging steps used by climbers.
Mattock: A dual-purpose axe, combining an adze and axe blade, or sometimes a pick and adze blade.
Pickaxe: An axe with a large pointed end, rather than a flat blade. Sometimes exists as a double-bladed tool with a pick on one side and an axe or adze head on the other. Often used to break up hard material.
Pulaski: An axe with amattock blade built into the rear of the main axe blade, used for digging ('grubbing out') through and around roots as well as chopping.
Splitting maul: A splitting implement that has evolved from the simple "wedge" design to more complex designs.
Throwing axe: A tool that was thrown and designed to strike wooden targets and stay embedded in the target to score points in sport throwing competitions such as those hosted by theWorld Axe Throwing League.[12] These can range from axes that are small in profile and usable with one hand, or longer axes thrown with two hands.
Hammer axes (or axe-hammers) typically feature an extended poll, opposite the blade, shaped and sometimes hardened for use as ahammer. The name axe-hammer is often applied to a characteristic shape of perforated stone axe used in theNeolithic andBronze Ages. Iron axe-hammers are found in Roman military contexts, e.g.Cramond,Edinburgh, andSouth Shields,Tyne and Wear.[citation needed]
^Foley, Robert Andrew; Lewin, Roger (2003).Principles of Human Evolution. Wiley.ISBN978-0-632-04704-8.
^Hiscock, P.; O'Connor, S.; Balme, J.; Maloney, T. (2016). "World's earliest ground-edge axe production coincides with human colonisation of Australia".Australian Archaeology.82 (1):2–11.doi:10.1080/03122417.2016.1164379.hdl:10072/407100.S2CID147777782.
^Geneste, J.-M.; David, B.; Plisson, H.; Clarkson, C.; Delannoy, J.-J.; Petchey, F.; Whear, R. (2010). "Earliest evidence for ground-edge axes: 35,400 ± 410 cal BP from Jawoyn Country, Arnhem Land".Australian Archaeology.71 (1):66–69.doi:10.1080/03122417.2010.11689385.hdl:10289/5067.S2CID134077798.
Borkowski, W. (1995).Krzemionki mining complex. Warsaw.
Bradley, R.; Edmonds, M. (1993).Interpreting the axe trade: production and exchange in Neolithic Britain.
Pétrequin, P. (1995).La hache de pierre: carrières vosgiennes et échanges de lames polies pendant le néolithique (5400 – 2100 av. J.-C.). (exposition musées d'Auxerre Musée d'Art et d'Histoire). Paris: Ed. Errance(in French).
Pétrequin P.; Pétrequin, A.M. (1993).Écologie d'un outil: la hache de pierre enIrian Jaya (Indonésie). Paris: CNRS Éditions, Mongr. du Centre Rech. Arch. 12(in French).
Medieval axes
Schulze, André (editor) (2007).Mittelalterliche Kampfesweisen. Band 2: Kriegshammer, Schild und Kolben. Mainz am Rhein: Zabern.ISBN3-8053-3736-1(in German).
Modern axes
Kauffman, Henry J. (1994).American Axes: A Survey of their Development and their Makers. Elverson, Pennsylvania: Olde Springfield Shoppe. 152 pp.ISBN188329412-6.
Klenman, Allan; McPhail, Larry (2006).Axe Makers of North America: A Collection of Axe History & Manufacturers. Bellingham, Washington: Print & Copy Factory LLC.ISBN0-9690755-4-5. 160 pp.
McLeod, Brett (2020).American Axe: The Tool That Shaped A Continent. North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing. 192 pp.ISBN978-1-63586-139-6.
Reissinger, Gottfried (1959).Die Konstruktionsgrundlagen der Axt. Hamburg: Parey.ISBN978-3490211163(in German).
Superstition
H. Bächtold-Stäubli, H. (1987).Handwörterbuch des deutschen Aberglaubens. Berlin: De Gruyter(in German).
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