| Head axe | |
| Origin: | Philippines |
| Type: | Axe |
| Is Bladed: | Yes |
| Used By: | Cordilleran peoples (Igorot) |
The head axe, also known as headhunter's axe, is a battle axe of the Cordilleran peoples of the Philippines specialized for beheading enemy combatants during headhunting raids. They are distinctively shaped, with concave or straight blades and elongated upper corners. They also have a protruding stub or spike near the bottom end of the haft for better grip. Their native names and designs varied by ethnic group, ranging from axes with curving slender designs to heavy axes with straight edges. Head axes, like most other pre-colonial bladed weapons of the Philippines, were also utilitarian. They were also used for cutting trees, clearing undergrowth, or even cutting hair.[1] [2]
Head axes were outlawed, along with headhunting practices, during the American colonial period of the Philippines in the early 20th century. They have largely been replaced with the bolos of lowlander Filipino cultures.[3]