Axe c. 19th century

This axe was made by the Tlingit people, employing natural materials like stone, wood and fiber. For the Tlingit, an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America, the axe was a critical tool. Its existence speaks to a complex interplay of social, economic and environmental factors. As a hand tool, the axe enabled the Tlingit to build their homes, create their totems, and construct their boats. Woodworking played an important role in their culture as did fishing and hunting which would also have been supported by the use of the axe. The Tlingit social structure was highly stratified, with clear distinctions between nobles, commoners, and slaves. The quality and type of tools available could well have mirrored these social distinctions. Understanding such an object requires us to step outside the museum and delve into anthropological studies, historical accounts, and the oral traditions of the Tlingit people themselves. Only then can we begin to understand the full social life of this simple tool.