Axes - When Were They First Used & Thrown?

By Author: Axe House LA
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A truly ancient tool and/or weapon, axes have been in existence for thousands of years, and while it might not seem as if the axes thrown at targets during the popular pastime of axe throwing are the same, they actually haven’t changed all that much over the years.

Axes throughout history
Way, way back in the stone age, hand axes initially had no handle; wooden handles were added afterwards, and some examples of such axes have been discovered with heads of stone, and handles attached in a variety of different methods, according to what methods and materials were available.

As methods and technologies developed over the centuries, axes began to be made out of copper, bronze, iron, and much later, steel.

Axes in folklore
Believed by some to be thunderbolts, stone axes were often used to protect buildings against lightning strikes, as ancient mythology dictated that lightning never struck twice in the same place.

Steel axes were also important in ancient folklore and mythology, and were believed to be able to keep a hailstorm at bay, and protect crops from bad weather. An axe buried ...
... upright under the sill of a house was said to ward off witches, and an axe placed under the marital bed, would guarantee male offspring.

Modern axes
With steel heads and wooden handles (often made from hickory), the majority of modern axes are today sorted by use, size and form. Hand axes, with short handles that are designed for being used with one hand, are still in use today, although in this case, the term refers to axes without handles, too, such as was the case back in days of old.

Often used in combat thanks to their simple design and the ease at which they could be constructed, axes were a particularly gruesome and deadly weapon when wielded by the right hands.

The origins of axe throwing as a sport
Back in Canada in 2006, a group of buddies were bored out of their wits one afternoon, when one of them idly picked up an axe and threw it a tree stump. Later, when back at his home in Toronto, Matt Wilson, the current founder and CEO of the Backyard Axe Throwing League, decided that axe throwing should become a regular pastime, and he set about trying to convince others of the same. Setting up a target in his backyard, he invited some friends over and asked them to throw an axe at it. Once they’d all had a few throws, they created a point system between them, and before Matt knew it, his small group of axe throwing friends turned into more than 60 people competing to win an axe throwing contest in his back yard!

Axe throwing today
Now, more than a decade since the axe throwing league was created by Matt in Toronto, urban axe throwing has become such a popular pastime that new venues are popping up all over the place, and you can even hire mobile axe throwing units for parties and other functions; can you believe it!

Ever wondered what it’s like to throw an axe? Well, now could be the perfect time to find out!

Axe throwing is a fun and exhilarating way to vent anger, release pent up frustration or simply enjoy from a competitive angle. No party can ever be dull with the addition of a mobile axe throwing unit, and at Axe House, we can help you transform any social event into one that every attendee will remember (and maybe even fantasize about for years to come!). Forget boring, traditional party games and keep the fun vibes going with an axe throwing contest hosted by our expert axe-wielding team.