• Arrowheads were a common component of weapons used by Indian tribes.indian arrowhead image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
  
  Indian tribes were an early innovator of tools and weapons in the United States. Although ranging widely in terms of culture, environment, and organization, most Indian tribes shared a common approach to implements used in their society. The Indian tribes used weapons primarily for hunting, but some tribes were more warlike than others and developed weapons specifically for battle.
  
  

Bow and Arrow

• The bow and arrow was the primary hunting weapon for most Indian tribes. The bow was typically made of a young sapling, and the quiver made from the stomach or intestine of a game animal like buffalo or deer. The arrows were also made of wood, with small flint arrowheads. Arrowheads can still be found to this day in the former hunting grounds of certain Indian tribes.
  
  

Tomahawk

• The tomahawk was primarily used as a tool by Indian tribes, but could also be used in close combat as a weapon. A tomahawk consists of a stout handle with a large flat blade on one end, and a sharp, pointed edge on the other end. The blade was often affixed to the handle with leather bindings, or the gut of a wild animal.
  
  

Spear

• For big game like buffalo, Indian tribes developed the spear. The spear was typically a long pole, at least six feet in length, with a large pointed head at the top. The spearhead was attached to the pole with leather bindings or animal gut.