THE MIDDLE STONE AGE 
invented the stone ax, or rather hatchet, his first means 
of coping with the jungle (Fig. 65). We can in a measure 
realize the far-reaching importance of this invention if we 
pause to think what the ax 
meant to our own pioneer fore- 
bears in the settlement of this 
country. Man had not yet 
learned to grind and polish his 
stone implements but still 
chipped them out, although he 
gradually gave them better 
and more effective shapes. 
He accomplished the hafting 
often by splitting or boring 
the end of a stout stick or 
club and then inserting the 
stone blade in the cavity, 
where a binding of animal 
sinew or rawhide, by its nat- 
ural shrinkage, held it in place 
Fic. 64. Flat harpoons of red-deer 
antler, from the cave of Mas 
d’Azil. After Piette 
with a grip almost as strong as iron. The familiar Indian 
tomahawk was an implement of this description. 
To primitive man the added 
Fic. 65. Left, stone hatchet from 
eastern Australia, with polished 
cutting edge only. Right, iron 
hammer from the upper Congo 
River, retaining ancient hafting 
method. After Frobenius 
power which the ax gave him 
in his struggles with his en- 
vironment seemed absolutely 
supernatural. The stone ax 
was “big medicine” and, like 
everything else which early 
man thought much about, was 
regarded as having a life of 
its own. The owner must be 
careful not to offend or mis- 
use it in any way. He made 
offerings to it, talked to it, 
and handled it carefully and 
reverently. 
[235 ] 
