Slaugther hammer
identifier
ID 684
morphology
craft
holotype
MOT V 99.0269 L=79cm WD=22cm WT=1900gr. Inscription: M.J.
holotype
MOT V 2010.0858 L=81cm WD=26cm H=7cm WT=2200gr
holotype
MOT V 91.0330 L=105cm WD=24cm D=15cm WT=5610gr
alias
pole hammer (syn.)
alias
pole axe hammer (syn.)
description
Heavy hammer to stun cattle to be slaughtered, and then kill them with the neck cut.
The stunning can be done with a slaughter mask, a shooting device or this slaugther hammer (1). It can be a wooden hammer (approx. 5-6 kg) with a long handle (see sledgehammer). The working part can also be made of metal and resemble a stone hammer. Or a hammer with a metal head that has a rod-shaped end on one side, which can be used to punch through the skull to crush the brain.
Another model consists of a hollowed-out pin and a hook at the other end. The hook would serve to pull the pin out of the skull when it gets stuck.
See also the punch. [MOT]
(1) Banned since 1920 (by Royal Decree of 5 June) in the Netherlands. In France since 1964.
MOT V 91.0330