19th C. English Ceremonial Tomahawk (for trade)

Northwestern Europe, England, ca. 19th century CE. A handsome ceremonial tomahawk made from forged iron with a wooden handle and brass tacks. The iron head features a flat blade with an openwork heart shape. A central socket secures the head to the handle, and the butt end is a cylindrical pipe receptacle with a raised ring around the lip. The wooden handle has a bulbous pommel, and usually a hole is drilled into this area to use as a mouthpiece. However, this handle does not have any drilled holes at either end for inhalation and may be a later replacement. Europeans brought iron headed tomahawks to trade with Native American tribes to use as peace offerings to ensure harmonious relations. Size: 23.5" L x 3.5" W (59.7 cm x 8.9 cm)

The Penn Museum's article by Margaret Bruchac and Kayla Holmes, "Investigating a Pipe Tomahawk," investigates the merging of European iron axes and Native American smoking pipes: "While the history seems to suggest that iron tomahawks were European creations introduced into Native society, it is unclear who decided to bring the pipe and the tomahawk together. There are two possible origin stories. One possibility is that pipe tomahawks were first manufactured by blacksmiths in Europe or America who “recognized the advantages of bringing the two objects together" as a clever gadget, a new negotiation tool. A more intriguing possibility is that a Native man familiar with metal working (likely one who had apprenticed to a Euro-American blacksmith) constructed the first pipe tomahawk to create something to demonstrate an Indigenous concept: a Native offering of peace could be met with ferocity if any betrayal occurred. In other words, this object signaled: "Peace or War - Your Choice.""

Provenance: ex-Anchorage, Alaska, USA collection

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#166742
Condition Report: Wood handle might be a later replacement and is not pierced for inhalation. The iron head is in good condition. The head is slightly loose but secured with a leather patch wedged in the socket. Stable pressure fissures on wood handle. Nice patina throughout.