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woodpecker effigy copper celt or warclub
swamp monkey:
I wanted to make some copper celts and adzes. Why? because the Mound Builders did it. In fact the people before the mound builders worked copper too.
Use of copper goes way back in North America all the way to the Middle Archaic Period. Archaic people made knife blades, hooks, needles, ornaments and more. In the mound building period they made celts, adzes, and more elaborate ornaments.
Inspired by them I worked with the metal shop teacher at Jackson High School and two of his students to melt and cast some copper tool blanks.
Please understand, while we used metal casting technology, I am not trying to say that is what the first people cultures did. Copper nugget supply was low here in Southeast Missouri. So I saved copper scrap and instead of taking it to the scrap metal buyer I kept it for casting. It was the simplest way to solve the problem.
We started with a celt, adze and a long blade used with a woodpecker effigy club/axe.
One blade didn’t pour well but that actually worked out well. I will use it like a copper nugget to make a copper knife in the tradition of the old copper workers.
So here is the process and specs on the woodpecker effigy ax/celt.
Woodpecker blade: 188.3g, 17.5cm long, 1.7cm wide, 0.8 cm thick some axes like this were found at Spiro Oklahoma in one of the mounds. I haven’t experimented much with it but It was either a cavity chipper or a weapon of war.
Below is an image of a line drawing found on a shell cup at Spiro. The shell dates to the mound building period. The wood pecker axe is in the belt of the owner. Although i am not aware of any flared bit celts being used with this woodpecker effigy handles. Flared copper celts have been uncovered at multiple archeological sites across eastern North America.
I made my version inspired by a few artifacts uncovered in a mound at Spiro Oklahoma. See images below.
The handle is made of persimmon just like the originals. I used a slab of three ridge mussel for the eyes. Possessing mussels is legal in Missouri with a valid fishing permit.
My blade model was crafted out of wood and primered with a good sanding. I tried using plaster of Paris for casting on recommendation by a friend. The plaster works only once. The mold broke due to extreme heat but gave me a cast. We used casting sand which worked so much better on the other blades.
swamp monkey:
I tool hardened the copper by pounding it with a hammer on an anvil. Once that was done I began to file and sand the blade. That took a several hours. Air bubbles from the casting kept me from having a perfectly clean surface. So I have embraced the presence of the bubbles.
swamp monkey:
I cut the persimmon in winter and debarked it. I worked it to rough dimensions. I figured that is what the mound builders did. Then I sealed it. I used Tung oil. This kept it from checking rather well. Burning and chiselling out the hole for the blade took a while. You really don't want to be in a hurry or you will get the hole just slightly too big and . . . well you start over. So I was patient.
Carving the eyes required patience too. I used a thin layer of nacre which is not as sturdy as the thick whole shell. Done with that I carved out a shallow recession for the eye to fit in . Satisfied with fit I glued it in and made a leather sheath for the blade.
Stoker:
Very well done.. A lot of work indeed.. How did you melt the copper?
Thanks Leroy
swamp monkey:
Thanks Stoker. We used a furnace meant to melt lower melting point metals like Aluminum. The metal shop teacher has the students cast aluminum items like a C clamp and then tool it. Copper melts just under 2,000 degrees F. An average campfire by comparison is roughly 1,500 degrees.
My hat goes off to Mr. Stover and the Jackson High School for letting me work with them. I may post some pics of the pouring a little later.
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