Full Grooved Ax   Save
H. R. McPherson Collection
Description: This large greenstone 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 rounded, while the opposite end tapers to a thin, wide cutting edge. The surface of the igneous rock is dark gray and is very highly polished. There are three deep scratches on the poll end, probably made by a farmer's plow. This piece comes 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: A0850_000014_1
Subjects: Prehistoric peoples; Axes, Prehistoric;
Places: H. R. McPherson Collection