pipe tomahawk of Tecumseh

pipe tomahawk of Tecumseh

pipe tomahawk of Tecumseh

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Introduction

English-made pipe tomahawk presented to Tecumseh by order of Sir Isaac Brock. Wooden stem with lead mouthpiece and detachable brass pipe bowl and pointed tomahawk blade. Engraved rings in sets of one, two, three, and four found around wood stem, and stem of brass head. Dr. Oronhyatekha Ethnology collection.

Nation of Maker: British British-English
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Presented to Tecumseh by agents of King George III, made in Britain, according to the Oronhyatekha catalogue.

Place of Origin: London, UK
Date Made or Date Range: 1812
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

GRASAC generated by AN

Materials

Wood, lead, brass

Techniques or Format

Wooden stem with lead mouthpiece, brass pipe tomahawk with

Irregular hole in tip of blade, possibly made by owner for attachment.

Motifs and Patterns

1, 2, 3, and 4 engraved rings around stem and around the stem of the brass piece. Crescent shape found on brass piece.

Dimensions: 45 × 14 × 0 cm
Condition: bowl has teech marks
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Presented during period of alliance making leading up to the War of 1812, according to the Oronhyatekha catalogue.

Tecumseh and Brock met in August 1812 at Amherstburg to confirm their alliance. Brock was killed in October at Queenston Heights. -AE

Current Location: Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON, Canada
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 911.3.181 a, b, HD6319
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1911
Publication History

F. Barlow Cumberland, Catalogue and Notes of the Oronhyatekha Historical Collection (Toronto: Independant Order of Foresters, 1904), p 57,

Item 367. "Tecumseh's Brass Tomahawk and Peace Pipe. This tomahawk was presented to Chief Tecumseh by order of General Sir Isaac Brock, on the Detroit River at Fort Malden or Amherstburg in western Canada on the occasion of Tecumseh and his warriors concluding to join forces with the British soldiers. Some half dozen of this pattern of tomahawk and pipe of peace had been made by royal order of George III, and sent to America to be presented to the Head Chiefs of any Tribes of Indians who might join forces with the British against the Americans. Tecumseh had this tomahawk in his belt behind his belt medal when he was killed at the battle of the River Thames in Western Canada. Oshawana, Tecumseh's chief warrior, removed the belt medal and the tomahawk from his body as he was leaning up against a tree when he had received his first wound. Various traditions are extant as to the final details of the death of Tecumseh, but the general conclusion is that his followers carried away and concealed his body so that it might not fall into the hands of his foes."

GKS Reference Number: 1357
How to Cite this Item

Unknown artist, pipe tomahawk of Tecumseh. Currently in the Royal Ontario Museum, 911.3.181 a, b. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2008; GRASAC item id 1357.

Record Creation Context

GRASAC team research trip to the Royal Ontario Museum, Dec 15-19 2008, funded by SSHRC Aboriginal Research Grant. Participants: Heidi Bohaker, Alan Corbiere, Lewis Debassige, Anne De Stecher, Darlene Johnston, Stacey Loyer, Trudy Nicks, Ruth Phillips

Ethnology team, Dec 18: Cory Willmott, Trudy Nicks, Anne De Stecher, Ruth Phillips assisted by Tracey Forester

Approximate Place of Origin

43.3, -78.1

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