Want to know more about Iroquois Indian weapons? Read on for facts and info on the most popular weapons used by the Iroquois people and find out more about each Iroquois Indian weapon…
The Iroquois Confederacy was initially made up of five tribes. These included the Mohawks, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga and the Cayuga. Every native Indian tribe has its own set of weapons that it made use of for hunting and fighting purposes. Similarly the Iroquois Indians had their own special list of weapons that they made use of.
The most commonly used weapons by the Iroquois tribe included the bow and arrow, lances, war clubs, knives and tomahawks. The choice of weapon depended upon the situation and the skill of the Warriors. For example the crossbow was used while Warriors would attack the enemy on horseback. The kind of bow used by riders was significantly smaller than the longbow used by foot soldiers and hunters from the tribe. The Iroquois people would make their arrowheads out of bone, metal and flint. The most talented of warriors had the ability to shoot up to 20 arrows in the time that it normally takes a settler to fire and then reload for the next shot using the single shot musket.
The Tomahawk
This is perhaps the most popular traditional native Indian weapon. Over the years it has become a prominent symbol for the entire culture although its development and use was more popular amongst some tribes than others. This was an axe-like piece of equipment that had a wooden handle with a head made of stone. The tomahawk was a close quarter weapon that was used in one-on-one fighting. Alternatively the native Indians would also throw the tomahawk from a distance while riding on horseback. The Iroquois warriors made use of knives in the same way.
Hunter gatherer was the way of life for the native Indian tribes. Iroquois men were required to be exceptionally skilled hunters having to take down their daily meals in the form of animals of their choice. Spears and fishing poles were the most popularly used equipment by Iroqouis fishermen.
The Lance
The use of the lance was also quite popular amongst Iroquois hunters. They would create especially long lances that were used by horse riders to knock off their opponents from their animals. It provided them with enough leverage and protection during battle. They would often decorate their long lances using feathers and scalps to give them an intimidating appearance.
Modern equipment with the Iroquois
It was not until the late 1860s that the Native Americans began to get hold of some up-to-date weaponry. The first modern equipment to make its way into the hands of the Iroquois people were rifles such as Winchesters and Springfields. The first documented use of these modern rifles against the opposition was when the Native Americans used them during the battle against Gen. George A. Custer.
The collection of unique and decorative weapons along with the intimidating headdresses and attire of the Iroquois people made them quite an intimidating force on the battlefield.
