Full Grooved Ax   Save
James McBride Collection
Description: This large ground stone ax has a wide, deep groove near the poll end that extends all the way around, which functioned to attach the ax head to a handle. The poll end is an elongated oval shape that is mostly flat. The opposite end tapers to a relatively narrow, sharp cutting edge. The igneous rock is very dark grayish brown in color. There is a large scratch on the poll end and several on the side of the ax; both corners of the cutting edge have been broken. This piece is from the Archaic Period. The Archaic cultures in Ohio existed from about 6,000 B.C. to 1,000 B.C. Their economy was based primarily on hunting and gathering, but they did experiment with cultivating squash. Most Ohio sites are seasonal camps, created as the Indians moved due to the weather and the availability of food sources. Archaic peoples hunted smaller game than their Paleoindian predecessors, who pursued mastodons and giant beavers. The Archaic people hunted deer, elk, bear, rabbit, quail, and wild turkey. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: A3728_000217_1
Subjects: Prehistoric peoples; Axes, Prehistoric;
Places: James McBride Collection