Request info on axe head

[dvoelker]

Hello all -

I am new to this site and hoping to learn more about a collection passed down from my father. He was an amateur collector in the Ohio River valley primarily in the 1950's and 1960's. He has a lot of points as well as fossils and the images below are of an impressive axe head that I have had on my bookshelf for some time. I do not know exactly where this was collected but likely in the Ohio River valley, he told me that they use to prospect in the freshly plowed fields near the Ohio river in small towns like Petersburg, Ky.

I would like to learn more about the likely origin and age of this artifact and the Native Americans that likely produced this. My Dad had many points and smaller, more rounded axe heads but I was always intrigued by the size and mass of this thing, I could only imagine this strapped to a large branch and the force this would have exerted when swung at full force. Was this likely most used for splitting wood, as a weapon, all the above? It weighs 5lb 9oz and is about 7 inches long. It seems to be made of granite or some other metamorphic rock but I could be wrong about that, it is certainly not made of limestone or other sedimentary rock that is very prevalent in this area.

Any info anyone can provide would be appreciated. I am less than an amateur at prospecting but very interested in the answers.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[traveller777]

Nice grooved axe head. There are lots of knowledgeable artifact folks on here so someone will come along and give you more details. Thanks for posting.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Nice 3/4 groove ax with raised groove.

 

[newnan man]

That is on fine axe head. You about have it right as to its use.

 

[Up-North]

👍

 

[joshuaream]

Maybe it's just the pictures but that's a really odd looking axe head. The bit, the polish on the bit, the lack of polish on the rest of the piece, and the pitting in the stone (not the peck marks, but the holes in the material.)

Did your father ever buy relics?

 

[newnan man]

It looks like the bit was broken & then resharpened to continue using it. The little holes in the material is unique. Hard to tell sometimes from a pic. I'm thinking a faker wouldn't shape that bit that way, they would make it perfect.

 

[Sandog]

I moved away from Petersburg, KY in 1959. Yes, as kids we did find arrowheads by following farmer's plowing. Jimmy Jarrell was still using a 2 horse team to plow and maybe that method did not destroy as many artifacts. Mr McWiethy (sp) had a tremendously large collection of native artifacts, a room full, which I know had more than one item matching your photo. You may find the history of Petersburg very Interesting. Originally known as Tanner's Station around 1789, said to be built on an ancient, 1200 AD, Native American village. No idea what became of that collection.