The winter blahs are definitely getting to me so I'm taking a few pics of some of our collection.
This axe is one of the best Keokuk (1/2 groove) axes of it's size known. It was found by Larry Anderson while cultivating corn on his farm in eastern Jefferson County, Iowa. It measures 4 1/4" long x 2 1/8" tall and made of a green diorite that is fairly common for axes. There is a pronounced median ridge that runs the length of both grooves which is occasionally seen on axes usually of high quality.
Combined with the lines, workmanship, material, and polish make it an unusually fine specimen. I would estimate only 1 in every 1000 axes ever get to this degree of refinement. As much of a jewel as this piece is it also shows heavy use wear on the bit. Whoever made this axe intended on using it and did. This was obviously not their first axe they made and the native must have used this piece as a symbol of pride. As a fellow board memeber would say "this guy was just showing off."
Hippy
This axe is one of the best Keokuk (1/2 groove) axes of it's size known. It was found by Larry Anderson while cultivating corn on his farm in eastern Jefferson County, Iowa. It measures 4 1/4" long x 2 1/8" tall and made of a green diorite that is fairly common for axes. There is a pronounced median ridge that runs the length of both grooves which is occasionally seen on axes usually of high quality.
Combined with the lines, workmanship, material, and polish make it an unusually fine specimen. I would estimate only 1 in every 1000 axes ever get to this degree of refinement. As much of a jewel as this piece is it also shows heavy use wear on the bit. Whoever made this axe intended on using it and did. This was obviously not their first axe they made and the native must have used this piece as a symbol of pride. As a fellow board memeber would say "this guy was just showing off."
Hippy
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