Wooden hammer based on a Roman find and a mallet

[Sergio Escudero]

Today is one of those moments where my passion for archaeological reconstruction and woodworking come together.

As a artisan dedicated to archaeological reconstruction, I sometimes face projects that raise more questions than answers. Part of this is because objects nearly two millennia old tend to be found deteriorated and fragmented, but also because academic information is not always as extensive or detailed as I would like. Missing details must be filled in using logic, ingenuity, and information from similar objects. This hammer was found in the wreck of a Roman ship off the Italian coast near Comacchio, dating to the mid-1st century BC, and it probably formed part of the crew’s toolkit or served as part of the cargo.

My hammer has some differences compared to the original, starting with the wood, which is red oak (instead of ash), and the angles of the hammerhead ends, which were originally inverted. The head has a conical hole with four smooth walls; the handle, also conical, fits with small wedges. Except for the mitered ends, all the work was done by hand. Fitting these pieces requires calm and precision; adjusting the central hole was particularly time-consuming and challenging to make it perfectly flat.

The mallet was much simpler. Made from a solid block, the handle and head are one piece. I had to carefully round it by hand, finishing with fine passes of the plane. The handle was shaped on the table saw carriage, rotating it to remove excess material while keeping a solid core.

Both pieces are heading to Ireland for a historical reenactor who will use them in what is essentially experimental archaeology—that is, testing reproductions of period objects to experiment, evaluate, and draw conclusions.

[fcschoenthal]

On 11/3/2025 at 10:45 AM, Sergio Escudero said:

the angles of the hammerhead ends, which were originally inverted

I guess I don't understand the reasoning behind this. Do you have any insight? It's also strange that the handle becomes so narrow. Perhaps it was dual purpose.

[wtnhighlander]

The same question came to my mind. Tool shapes are rarely without cause...

[Beechwood Chip]

On 11/3/2025 at 11:45 AM, Sergio Escudero said:

the angles of the hammerhead ends, which were originally inverted

Pure speculation, but maybe it had something to do with a curved ship's hull?  I imagine that pounding caulk/rope into the seams between the planks would be a common task, and you might have to work in odd positions to reach the problem spots.  Oh!  and maybe the tapered handle is for pounding caulk into small cracks? 

[Coop]

I was thinking more like for protection when working in the shop, late at night, prior to 9 mm. 

[wtnhighlander]

55 minutes ago, Beechwood Chip said:

Pure speculation, but maybe it had something to do with a curved ship's hull?  I imagine that pounding caulk/rope into the seams between the planks would be a common task, and you might have to work in odd positions to reach the problem spots.  Oh!  and maybe the tapered handle is for pounding caulk into small cracks? 

This sounds reasonable. Caulking hammers from the 19th century look a bit like cross-peens, but longer and lighter.

[Tpt life]

No corking hammer I have ever seen, had sloped faces. I wonder if that handle had a wrap on it, that was not preserved over time. 

[Immortan D]

Since the hammer was found in a shipwreck, I think the handle could also have served as a marlin spike, used to untie knots.

[Mark J]

20 hours ago, Sergio Escudero said:

I had to carefully round it by hand, finishing with fine passes of the plane. The handle was shaped on the table saw carriage, rotating it to remove excess material while keeping a solid core.

Did the Romans have lathes?  I believe it's been around in other cultures for  4000 years (or something like that).

[h3nry]

For the angles on the head being reversed ... my guess is that if what you're hitting is on or near the ground, then even from a kneeling position, on impact the angle of the handle will be directed slightly downward ... so if you want the mallet face to be parallel to the ground when it hits, that is how it needs to be angled.

If you think about using a mallet woodworking ... what we are hitting is usually on a bench just above elbow level (top of chisel) ... therefore our mallets tend to be sloped with the wide end at the end of the handle.

[fcschoenthal]

That makes a lot of sense.

[Sergio Escudero]

On 11/4/2025 at 2:40 PM, Mark J said:

Did the Romans have lathes?  I believe it's been around in other cultures for  4000 years (or something like that).

The Romans even had metal lathes. There are remains of shield bosses where the exterior was turned.