Throwing axe

<h2 id="francisca">Francisca</h2>
<p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Francisca/hgf0zJwG">Francisca</a></p>

<p>The <a href="/facts/Francisca/hgf0zJwG">francisca</a> is a throwing axe associated with the <a href="/facts/Franks/RHyCqfkd">Franks</a> in the 3rd century CE. Its design was also used by other Germanic peoples of the period including the <a href="/facts/Anglo-Saxons/qWLes0LP">Anglo-Saxons</a>. The francisca is characterised by its distinctly arch-shaped head, widening toward the cutting edge and terminating in a prominent point at both the upper and lower corners. The top of the head is usually either S-shaped or convex with the lower portion curving inward and forming an elbow with the short wooden haft. Sometimes the head is more up-swept, forming a wider angle with the haft. Most franciscas have a round or teardrop-shaped eye designed to fit the tapered haft, similar to <a href="/facts/Viking/d0WFeQ6f">Viking</a> axes. The <a href="/facts/Tomahawk/6X7jp4Qq">tomahawk</a>, a similar <a href="/facts/New_World/dzUuo3Xl">New World</a> throwing weapon, experienced some influence by the francisca in the <a href="/facts/French_territories/hpFN2jQh">French territories</a>. Tomahawk throwing competitions still take place today.
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<h2 id="hurlbat">Hurlbat</h2>
<p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Hurlbat/tQzBfvCS">Hurlbat</a></p>
<p>A hurlbat (or whirlbat, whorlbat) is the term used for a type of weapon with unclear original definition. Older reference works refer to it largely as a type of club, either held in the hand or possibly thrown. Modern usage appears to refer to a type of throwing-axe.
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<h2 id="nzappa-zap">Nzappa zap</h2>

<p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Nzappa_zap/v2Y7AR3M">Nzappa zap</a></p>
<p>The Nzappa zap is a weapon from the <a href="/facts/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo/E2KmHDdv">Democratic Republic of the Congo</a> that is one of the more unusual-looking throwing axes. The Nzappa zaps sometimes had an iron head with two or three human faces. The handle had the shape of a club with a round upper part. The head is attached to the club via struts, giving the weapon its unique design. These axes were either thrown short distances or wielded in <a href="/facts/Hand-to-hand_combat/pDdNf0wR">hand-to-hand combat</a>.
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<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Battle_axe/LeL3RgDf">Battle axe</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Shuriken/Yy6XUphC">Shuriken</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Throwing_knife/MJ3TWRMP">Throwing knife</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="http://www.axtwerfen.de">An Informative page about axe throwing, by Norbert C. Maier</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.hatchetsandaxes.com/how_to_throw_a_tomahawk">Step-by-step Instruction on How to Throw an Axe or Tomahawk</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.regia.org/warfare/axe.htm">Regia Anglorum page on Germanic battle axes</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.choppershh.com">Chopper's Hatchet House - Competitive Indoor Axe Throwing</a></li></ul>

Throwing axe open-in-new

Throwing axe