Tomahawk (Trade and Military)

Tomahawks were among the most ubiquitous and versatile tools carried by the Corps of Discovery. Each member was issued a tomahawk or hatchet that served as a weapon, tool for building shelters and making fires, and trade item. Some tomahawks featured a pipe bowl on the reverse side of the blade (pipe-tomahawks), combining a weapon with a ceremonial smoking implement — a design that held great symbolic significance for both Native Americans and European-American frontiersmen. The expedition also carried tomahawks as trade goods and diplomatic gifts for Native nations. Clark’s own pipe-tomahawk became a symbol of his authority, and he presented similar items to chiefs as tokens of peace and alliance.