My Tennessee Stone Ax Head... found in 95'

[Limitool]

Well I'm calling it an ax head but I totally admit I most certainly am no expert. When I was asked this morning on the other ax head thread to go find it... I did. And when I did I remembered where I found it. I found the stone I mentioned in the other ax head thread in yard but this one was back at the cave I discovered in 94'.

If this is an ax head it appears to have hit something and chipped the leading edge. There was many artifacts lying around the mouth of the cave and up and down the ridge it was on. I posted many stories and pics of this cave long ago here on Tnet. My avatar is of one of the mud mounds within the cave.

But what do you folks think.... is this an ax head you think? And if so any idea who made or possibly how old...?

AX 1 Shows leading edge chipped.
AX 2 Lying on one side
AX 3 Lying on other side
AX 4 Top view

 

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[russau]

I don't know what your referring to as a "ax head" ? could you mean several different device's or just a cutting tool ? This to me looks like a club or a blunt tool for beaning the bad guy's on the head or some sort of hammering tool . You could be 100% correct in your assumption or we both could be right The people that would know will be commenting on it soon ,I'm sure ! Nice find in any event !

 

[Limitool]

I don't know what your referring to as a "ax head" ? could you mean several different device's or just a cutting tool ? This to me looks like a club or a blunt tool for beaning the bad guy's on the head or some sort of hammering tool . You could be 100% correct in your assumption or we both could be right The people that would know will be commenting on it soon ,I'm sure ! Nice find in any event !

I don't know what to call it... maybe a war club or something else possibly. But I wouldn't want to be on the business end of it strapped onto a piece of wood.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I would call it a small stone maul, like a tomahawk, not meant for cutting, more as a weapon.

 

[Limitool]

I would call it a small stone maul, like a tomahawk, not meant for cutting, more as a weapon.

It's been sitting on a shed shelf for 30 years till I was reminded. Hopefully someone will know if it was a worked stone and made into some type of weapon then. It sure looks like it was worked.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

It's been sitting on a shed shelf for 30 years till I was reminded. Hopefully someone will know if it was a worked stone and made into some type of weapon then. It sure looks like it was worked.

There is no doubt it is worked, full groove maul

My largest..

Here is another example. (Not mine)

 

[Up-North]

Yes it’s a full groove maul with damage on the”business” end. The term war club always makes me laugh… wouldn’t it just be easier to put an arrow into his chest? Here’s a pic of one I found up in Minnesota.

 

[Limitool]

Yes it’s a full groove maul with damage on the”business” end. The term war club always makes me laugh… wouldn’t it just be easier to put an arrow into his chest? Here’s a pic of one I found up in Minnesota.View attachment 2204468View attachment 2204469

Thank you all for the info thus far. Any idea on who around here made it or how old it might be? And what is the proper name for it...? A maul..?

 

[Up-North]

The proper name is a Maul.
It’s prehistoric. Anywhere from 3000-8000 years old and likely archaic…Toss the term war club or tomahawk aside.. if they did exist it would be in modern times.

 

[Limitool]

The proper name is a Maul.
It’s prehistoric. Anywhere from 3000-8000 years old and likely archaic…Toss the term war club or tomahawk aside.. if they did exist it would be in modern times.

Thank you very much sir. If this cave and surrounding area it came from was ever properly searched many, many such items would be found.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

The proper name is a Maul.
It’s prehistoric. Anywhere from 3000-8000 years old and likely archaic…Toss the term war club or tomahawk aside.. if they did exist it would be in modern times.

Any references as to how you came up with that date range? 3,000 to 8,000 yeas ago, the bow and arrow wasn’t invented yet.

I’d like to learn. I would have assumed NA’s were securing stones to wooden handles all the way until the contact period. What else did they have?

Also that would be an excellent weapon in hand to hand combat. One hit on the head, you’re dead.

 

[Limitool]

Any references as to how you came up with that date range? 3,000 to 8,000 yeas ago, the bow and arrow wasn’t invented yet.

I’d like to learn. I would have assumed NA’s were securing stones to wooden handles all the way until the contact period. What else did they have?

Also that would be an excellent weapon in hand to hand combat. One hit on the head, you’re dead.

"One hit on the head, you’re dead."

Agreed.... I couldn't imagine this stone strapped onto an 18" handle and being attacked with it...!!!!

 

[Tesorodeoro]

It could have been used to beat wedges into trees to strip bark, or split light planks for housing.

 

[Limitool]

It could have been used to beat wedges into trees to strip bark, or split light planks for housing.

Agreed... But this stone was definitely used to beat the hell out of something till a bit of it chipped off somehow. But rest assured it would still be lethal as is. In fact it now has 2 sharper edges on each side of the tip of it making more versatile.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Agreed... But this stone was definitely used to beat the hell out of something till a bit of it chipped off somehow. But rest assured it would still be lethal as is. In fact it now has 2 sharper edges on each side of the tip of it making more versatile.

We all abuse tools. Someone abused that tool for sure. I’ve been known to pry with a shovel when I should use a bar.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

What is all this 'war' anything nonsense? It is a simple home defense appliance (single whack per arm crank) and everyone has the right to own one. Don't like that? stay out of my cave

 

[CreekSide]

Nice example

 

[ToddsPoint]

It is generally thought that pecked stone tools started being made during the early archaic, starting around 8,000 BC. The first axes were full grooved. It wasn’t until several thousand yrs later the hafting style changed and you have 3/4 groove axes. While there is no way to positively date it, it’s definitely old an authentic.