Alaska Jade Adze 300+ years old.

[Lakota]

This was found a while back on our property in the interior of Alaska. Jade Adze possibly from Jade mountain. Fully intact and weights around 5lb. It takes many years to make this tool. The marks on it reveals that it was tied as a axe and used as hand tool. Grandfather said they made them by tying it to a stick across a stream. The bottom of the stream forms and smoothens the jade as it rubs back and forth. Around 5 years or so he said. May have been traded or lost during the trade between Athlabaskan and Eskimo. The stories from my grandfathers said that obsidian was brought from Indian mountain and made into arrows in front of our village. Some showed me pieces they found in there garden or near the river. Erosion destroyed our river banks taking many building and houses over the years. Before he passed on he pointed at the river about 300 feet is where he believes they made obsidian and jade tools before the village was discovered in late 1800's. Many villages exists this day that has not been found. I found two so far from beginning of 1800's by there stories. Should be another 5 more to locate and mark. Anyway I have his voice on tape and many others. Might be book in the future.

 

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[rock]

Nice looking piece

 

[jamey]

thanks for sharing,very cool artifact and story.would love to hear more.

 

[jamey]

oh and welcome to the site,would love to hear more from AK.

 

[Lakota]

Need more research but I think it should happen soon. One book by my grandfather Is shadows of the Koyukuk river. It is a story of our tradition and how the world was before technology became depended on. He will tell you how we traded and hunted through out the interior of Alaska. The gold that he my have discovered if a few more feet where dug. Anyway if you decided to read it. The rest is up to my elders to finish the story and I hope we can put it all together.

 

[jamey]

I bet it is going to be a wonderful read,i will read it.the more i look at my world,the more i wish it was like your elders.

 

[unclemac]

grandmas folk live in Tanana...lots of stories to tell.

 

[Lakota]

You tube has a movie of my grandfather George Attla called spirit of the wind. You should find it very moving.

 

[CHUDs]

Very cool...is it possible that an ancestor of yours made that tool?

 

[mainejman]

Very nice....design has been the same for thousands of years...wouldn't be surprised if this was much older than 300+ years..mjm

 

[Lakota]

Yes it is. Working with the College and BLM on it. The age they told me was a around 1600 or later. It came from jade mountain near Nome.

 

[joshuaream]

Great relic and truly awesome that you have such a personal and emotional connection to it via your grandfather and family land.

I've collected Jade Adzes for a quite a while, and I have several smaller ones from Alaska. Yours is probably one of the larger (weight, size, thickness) that I've seen come from Alaska.

Here is an older article about jade use in Alaska, it has some similar ones and details about how they quaried the jade.
http://museums.alaska.gov/documents/concepts/concepts_05_spring_1999_no_09.pdf

 

[Lakota]

I'm a combat veteran that served the USS Denver (LPD-9) during 9/11 and was in Phuket, Thailand Dec, 12 2004 before the sunami. I'm known where I'm from and my elders made me traditional Alaska native clothes and told me stories of the past. I don't not wear these native clothes although. They are what I will be wearing when the man upstairs call my name. I like the site. Plan on restoration and I will post the pics when it's done. Thanks for the info.

 

[DirtyPockects]

Very nice

 

[BagLady]

I'm a combat veteran that served the USS Denver (LPD-9) during 9/11 and was in Phuket, Thailand Dec, 12 2004 before the sunami. I'm known where I'm from and my elders made me traditional Alaska native clothes and told me stories of the past. I don't not wear these native clothes although. They are what I will be wearing when the man upstairs call my name. I like the site. Plan on restoration and I will post the pics when it's done. Thanks for the info.

Thank you for your service. Your story is amazing, as is your Adze. My Dad was stationed in Yakatat (sp?) Fairbanks and Anchorage in the 50's, and my 2 oldest sisters were born there. I grew up with many slides, stories, and a few collectibles of the native people there.
The workmanship of a pair of moccasins we had was really special.
Maybe I'm biased, but I think your history is so unique and I always find it amazing at how much your people have endured over the years.
More please!

 

[theviking]

Very cool, thanks for the view.

 

[Gold Maven]

You tube has a movie of my grandfather George Attla called spirit of the wind. You should find it very moving.

 

[Lakota]

I look at life different then most people because I have lost so much. I remember a time when there were 25 of us in class room in a small village. Only 5 of us left. Many through alcohol and drugs. My best friend that I went to war with was the last to pass on. About a couple years now. He served the JFK carrier. We never came back the same. Although I got the expeditionary metal for being in combat. I don't think of it as a reward but a memory. Now days I hear the ships on the Charleston, SC harbour. Along way from home of Huslia. I see faces when I close my eyes and wake 5 am no matter what. That's the after effect of war I guess. Anyway that is my story. Grandpa Sid Huntington have a book called shadows of the Koyokuk river. I'm sure you will enjoy it. Thank for the complement.

 

[BagLady]

I look at life different then most people because I have lost so much. I remember a time when there were 25 of us in class room in a small village. Only 5 of us left. Many through alcohol and drugs. My best friend that I went to war with was the last to pass on. About a couple years now. He served the JFK carrier. We never came back the same. Although I got the expeditionary metal for being in combat. I don't think of it as a reward but a memory. Now days I hear the ships on the Charleston, SC harbour. Along way from home of Huslia. I see faces when I close my eyes and wake 5 am no matter what. That's the after effect of war I guess. Anyway that is my story. Grandpa Sid Huntington have a book called shadows of the Koyokuk river. I'm sure you will enjoy it. Thank for the complement.

I hope you find the beauty and peace in your village that you once knew, and can enjoy your life again.
I would in no way make light of your losses. Every male member of my family have served our country. I have a nephew who was a sniper and is on full disability with PTSD.
The thing is, you need to live for yourself now. Your duty is done. Give it to God. Ask him to take it away and give you peace.
I did this in a mantra when I was really depressed, and was given an emotional release of peace.
Trust that He will take care of those who have gone before you.

 

[Lakota]

Thanks for your kind words of wisdom. I've learned to share the things that I have learned and experienced. I have no trouble going home but it hard to stay. I share my stories with my elders and they share there's. Gives me strength to have this knowledge and hope to share it with the world. That is my peace. Thanks for your family who served as they also go through the same. Thanks to all who served.