Most hammers were selected for practical reasons
like a convenient fit in the hand or appropriate hardness. Archaeologists can distinguish ancient
hammer stones from naturally formed pebbles because of where they were
discovered and evidence of wear. Some hammer stones were even given spiritual
significance. Below are some sculptures and small maquettes Ive been experimenting with, exploring a similar form using a variety of different stone types.
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| Kilkenny Limestone. |
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| Carrara Marble |
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| Ancaster Weatherbed Limestone |
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| Kilkenny Limestone |
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| Ancaster Limestone |
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| Ancaster Weatherbed Limestone |
On the look out for some Jade and Quarts!!
Ancient
ceremonial jade axes are relatively common. They were probably valuable
from the very beginning because jade is rare, working it is difficult and
people cared enough about these objects to carry them great distances from the
sources of the stone. In his book The
Mind in the Cave, David Lewis Williams described the round quarts
hammer stones used by southwestern Native Americans. Quarts stones
possess triboluminescence,
which means that they produce flashes of light in their interiors when rubbed together. This was particularly effective in dark spaces. This does not necessarily
happen when they are used as hammers, but it is felt, then that strange quality
by itself might have been enough to confer spiritual significance onto quartz hammer
stones. In some cases pairs of quarts pebbles are still referred to as
“lightning stones’ or “lucky stones.” These are ‘power tools’ of a
different sort than the way we use the term today.
