Tools and weapons of the iroquois indians

The Iroquois made their arrowheads out of stone, such as flint, and metal or animal bone, and meticulously crafted their bows from wood. A skilled fighter or hunter could wield the bow on horseback. These had to be shorter than the bows used on foot, which were generally called longbows.

It is said that the most skilled of Iroquois fighters could launch possibly 20 arrows during the time it took for a musket to be reloaded and then aimed and fired, giving the Native American fighters an early advantage. The club, or war club, carved of wood or stone, has its origins as a tool designed for utilitarian purposes, such as hunting.

Clubs used distinctly for war were called war clubs among the Iroquois. Traditionally, a war club had a very wide handle with a large ball atop the club, which was the main striking point when the club was wielded. When fighting with a club, the Iroquois also made use of a shield to protect them from opponents' blows. Tools of the Iroquois served many purposes: some helped the Iroquois farm, while others facilitated hunting and preparing animals for food and clothing. Iroquois used knives, for instance, to remove animal meat from skin following kills; the meat served as food, while Iroquois used the hides as clothing or to make shelters.

Iroquois used different materials to make tools; wood and stone served as common tool-making items. Wood formed hand tools such as wooden hoes, which allowed for farming and harvesting. Agriculture comprised a large part of the Iroquois economy, and wooden hoes facilitated crop production and harvesting. Spears are fashioned from a long shaft or pole-shaped material, usually wood.

One end was either sharpened into a point or attached to a sharp, stone tip. Native Americans could throw the spears to reach long distances or thrust them into animals or enemies. Knives were an important cutting tool for Native Americans. The oldest of these were made of a wooden handle and a stone or bone blade. The blades were always short. After the arrival of Europeans, the blades were made of steel or iron.

Knives could be used for killing animals or preparing food. The pipe tomahawk was both a hatchet type weapon as well as a pipe for smoking. They were made of a hollow handle with an axe-like blade and tobacco holding chamber on one end. Indigenous peoples could use these for hand-to-hand combat or as throwing weapons. Over time, the pipe tomahawk became a ceremonial instrument used principally for smoking. A war hatchet is a small axe-like weapon.

In fact, its design was based on European axes. A short wooden handle held a sharpened iron or stone blade. The gunstock war club was created after the arrival of European settlers.