Indian hatchet?

[Mainedigger]

This was found by a friend of mine over 50 years ago along the shore in Maine, on a bank where there was clam shell mounds and supposedly was an old Indian camping area. When he found it there was a wooden handle as big as around as a half dollar and about two feet long, this handle had a crotch in it that this piece fit into and was cinched to it with reeded grass, unfortunately when he picked it up the handle and cinching disintergrated and all he was left with was the hatchet(?) head. Any ideas on exactly what this is and the approx. age?
the overall dimensions are it is about 5 inches long by 3 1/2 inches high and 2 inches thick, it is made of stone (what kind I don;t know).

 

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[Mainedigger]

more pics

 

[MiddenMonster]

Any ideas on exactly what this is and the approx. age?
the overall dimensions are it is about 5 inches long by 3 1/2 inches high and 2 inches thick, it is made of stone (what kind I don;t know).

No idea on the age, but the size and location could mean that its purpose was to crack open the clams.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Nice axe!------Impossible to tell age now, it is a 3/4 groove axe. I think I have 14 of them total in my little collection. I have two that still have handles, one was found in a cave in New Mexico years ago and has an iron head, the other came from an old man who went into a nursing home when he was 90, 15 years ago. It was given to him when he was just a little boy by his uncle who was a boat hand on the river boat the Far West.

Here are pics of some of mine....Note all were obtained legally off of private land with owners permission in Missouri and Ill, and none are from Florida. I got into Metal Detecting because of the laws in Florida for artifacts. I like to hunt rivers, streams and creeks, and its illigal in this state to now do that here.

 

[Gribnitz]

Nice, grooved axe...aka head smasher

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Well its definitely a grooved axe. I am looking at the 6th Edition on Northern American Indian Artifacts and am seeing identical axes to yours found from Maine through Genesee County NY . And they are carrying some hefty prices with them.
Great find!
So many factors when judging the worth of the axe...very unfortunate about the handle...because they are worth more...but the type of stone will have alot to do with pricing. I would PM Atlantis as he knows quite a bit about these artifacts.

 

[TreasureTales]

Ugh, I'm getting a splitting headache just looking at the pix of that bad boy. Nice find! Wonder what else was at that midden?

 

[EDDE]

thats a kick ass melon masher

 

[DJ_Quinn]

Nice find Mainedigger! That's an awesome relic.

Treasure_hunter, I cannot even begin to tell you how envious I am of your collection, that is unbelievable!

 

[mojjax]

That's a beauty MD - possibly Archaic Period - 3,500 - 7,000 years old
Thanks for posting it , here's a link of a similar one :
http://seacoastnh.com/Places_&_Events/The_Grave_Site/Quick_Guide_to_Indian_Artifacts/1/

 

[mojjax]

Maine digger - here's another link to one from my neighborhood . 4,000 years old

http://www.mainememory.net/bin/Detail?ln=7543