Full Grooved Ax   Save
W. K. Moorehead Collection
Description: This hematite ax has a groove that extends all the way around the circumference of the poll end, and 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 reddish gray. A large portion of the cutting edge and adjacent side is broken, probably as a result of use, and was repaired (reground) in prehistoric times. 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: A0067_000063_1
Subjects: Prehistoric peoples; Axes, Prehistoric;
Places: W. K. Moorehead Collection