Axe throwing may seem like a trendy pastime that’s sprung up in craft breweries and specialized bars, but its roots run deep, intertwining with the fabric of history and tradition across numerous cultures. Engaging in the sport today is a modern link to various ancient practices where axes played a pivotal role.
The history of the axe itself goes back to the Stone Age, with the first axes appearing around 1.5 million years ago. However, these primitive tools were not the axe we recognize today and certainly weren’t used for sport. The axes were made of stone and were used primarily for survival tasks such as hunting and wood chopping.
As civilizations evolved, so did the axe. It became not only a tool for survival but also a weapon of war. The Vikings, infamous for their raids and warfare during the late 8th to early 11th centuries, were renowned for their use of axes in battle. Sharp, deadly, and requiring less metal than a sword, the axe was an efficient weapon for a Viking warrior. The practice of throwing axes likely developed as a combat technique since the ability to throw a weapon accurately could be advantageous in battle.
Axe throwing for competition and sport, rather than combat, has roots in loggers and woodsmen competitions. Lumberjacks in North America, who worked in remote logging camps, developed a variety of skills, including precise axe handling. To pass the time and also to settle disputes, they would challenge each other to various lumberjack games. Axe throwing became one of the games where they could show off their accuracy and strength. Over time, these competitions become more organized, leading to events such as the Lumberjack World Championships that date back to 1960.
In Europe, especially in the Celtic and Nordic cultures, axe throwing played a somewhat ceremonial role in festivals and was part of the Highland Games — Scotland’s traditional sporting event that began in the 11th century. The games were designed to test the strength, stamina, and skill of Scottish warriors, and throwing axes were one of its events.
Going even further back, Native Americans were documented using a form of axe or tomahawk throwing both as a means of hunting and sport, with a long-standing tradition among various tribes.
The modern sport as we know it today began to take shape relatively recently. Despite its centuries-old roots, it wasn’t until the early 21st century that axe throwing began to emerge as an urban sport. Canada claims to be the birthplace of this particular resurgence, with the founding of the Backyard Axe Throwing League in 2006. Its popularity spread rapidly across North America and then to other countries around the world.
Modern axe throwing has now devised standards for competition, with defined rules and regulations to assure safety and fair play. Commercially, axe throwing venues have opened across cities providing not just the opportunity to throw axes, but also instructional lessons, leagues, and tournaments, making axe throwing accessible to a wide audience. Nearly all sessions begin by training participants on safety and throwing techniques, acknowledging the importance of handling what is fundamentally still a dangerous tool with respect and care.
Today, enthusiasts have further institutionalized the sport with organizations such as the World Axe Throwing League and International Axe Throwing Federation, whose purpose is to promote the sport and serve as global governing bodies for axe throwing standards and competitions.
In tracing the history of axe throwing, it’s apparent that the sport taps into a diverse and deep-rooted cultural legacy, transforming a tool that was once essential for survival and warfare into a modern recreational activity. Its growth from a historical practice to a fun, competitive sport offers an intriguing example of how traditions can be adapted and continue to thrive in a completely different context.