✅ SOLVED Help I.D. celt,hoe ???

[Buckeyedon]

Found in Muskingum Co. Ohio. Made of banded slate. 8" long 3 1/2", wide at sharpened end , 1/2" thick at widest point. I have a few books but appears to be to thin for a celt? Don't know if slate is to soft for a hoe. Or is it something completely different. All help appreciated. Sorry about Quality of pics. Thank you Don

 

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[PaDirtDigger]

Hey Don... I like the name! Catchy... Anyway, it is pretty thin for a typical celt, but you gotta remember that these were not made in a factory. Maybe they were going to make a gorget, and then realized they needed to chop something?? Ya never really know for sure unless you were there... It looks nice no matter what you want to call it.. Thanks for posting it :thumbup:

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Shape is that of a celt, like PDDigger says it is alfull thin for one but all other says celt....

 

[catherine1]

Nice find. At eight inches its a whopper. Looks like a celt.

 

[quito]

Sure has the form and bit of a celt, but I have yet to see one that thin. Very Cool!

 

[rock]

Looks almost like Hematite but cant really tell for sure. If it is flatter on 1 side than the other it might be a Adze used for wood working and not chopping.

 

[Twitch]

I guess it could be an adze. What kind of wear, if any does it have on the bit? Celts, hoes and dazed will all exhibit clearly different wear patterns on the bit. If you can get some good pictures it might help. It also could be a pendant that is unfinished. Either way a very cool find.

 

[quito]

It's not an adze.

The bit of a celt is usually beveled and always run straight across just like your piece.... The bit on an Adze is curved.

Nice one!!

 

[fishstick]

Celts are NOT beveled and the bit on a adze gets curved after much use. I have seen MANY adze and celts made from slate, not your typical material but when that's what you got that's what you use!!! GREAT FIND regardless!!!!!!! HH....

 

[mainejman]

There's flint adzes that dont have the standard ( bit shape.Then at least in Maine anyways There's the usual ) bit which is pecked that way it is not from being worn.Not to say they aren't worn or broken then repaired...In my eyes it's a Celt.....mjm

 

[mainejman]

Also it looks like it is double bitted...Is the other end ground also?....mjm

 

[rock]

Back to the stone type. Is it heavy for the size? Hematite usually has some weight to it. Slate on the other hand is a tad bit lighter. A outside pic would help quite a bit in natural sunlight. Its nice

 

[Buckeyedon]

Thanks for all your input and comments. The material was not in question. Thought it might be too soft for a tool. As pointed out they used what they had. After further research stemming from your comments. I believe it to be a Celt. Thanks again, Don

 

[GatorBoy]

For what it's worth that looks like an adze to me..too thin to properly haft as a celt plus the bit is predominantly angled from one side like a chisel. This piece would have been hafted perpendicular to the shaft in my opinion.

 

[fishstick]

I'm with ya Gator!!!! Better pics of the bit would diff help but for now I'm going with my gut!!!!!!!

 

[quito]

Celts are NOT beveled and the bit on a adze gets curved after much use. I have seen MANY adze and celts made from slate, not your typical material but when that's what you got that's what you use!!! GREAT FIND regardless!!!!!!! HH....

Oh Really? Maybe I don't know what beveled means. But EVERY celt I have in profile looks like this, and if that isn't beveled, I am eager for your lesson.

 

[fishstick]

Oh Really? Maybe I don't know what beveled means. But EVERY celt I have in profile looks like this, and if that isn't beveled, I am eager for your lesson.

Not tryin to argue with you Q but that looks like your standard celt bit ( nice one at that ). A beveled bit would be heavier on one side which is why there are hafted diff.

 

[quito]

Not tryin to argue with you Q but that looks like your standard celt bit ( nice one at that ). A beveled bit would be heavier on one side which is why there are hafted diff.

Ummm, there are many different forms of beveling, a Celt bit is a double bevel. You must be thinking of the common right hand beveling

No argument from me, unless you want to keep saying celts are NOT beveled. :-)

 

[fishstick]

Ummm, there are many different forms of beveling, a Celt bit is a double bevel. You must be thinking of the common right hand beveling

No argument from me, unless you want to keep saying celts are NOT beveled. :-)

So what your sayin is every stone piece with a blade is beveled

 

[GatorBoy]

You can replace the word bevel with the word angled.
So yes if it is angled to form a bit it is beveled. This celt is beveled (angled) from both sides