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AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR
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Product Description
SEE MORE AFRICAN NEOLITHIC TOOLS AND ARTIFACTS
This unique curved ground stone grooved adze axe is from the African Capsian Neolithic culture. It was found on an exposed African Neolithic site in the Sahara Desert in Northwest Africa, and dates to over 5000 years ago. Axes like this are made by grinding a single stone entirely into a desired form. The groove would have been used to securely lash the axe head onto a wooden shaft handle. The chopping end is ground and polished to achieve a sharp cutting edge. Adze axes were predominantly used in wood-working to remove and hollow out an object. Since the ancient region that this Neolithic culture once thrived in was a lake region, it is likely this adze was used to construct a dugout canoe by hollowing out a log.
Aside from this being a scarcer type of ground stone axe head design, the stone used is extremely rare in tool-making of the region and culture. The entire axe was made from a single piece of Ferricrete. Ferricrete is a mineral conglomerate consisting of surface sand and gravel cemented into a hard mass by iron oxide derived from the oxidation of percolating solutions of iron salts. The word is derived from the combination of ferruginous and concrete.
The majority of Capsian Neolithic stone axes are torpedo-shaped celt axes. Grooved axes like this are a much scarcer form. Adding to the rarity is the fact this is a curved adze head and was mostly likely a tool for canoe construction. The entire adze head is perfectly preserved and complete with exceptional shaping and workmanship. This fine specimen lacks any modern damage or alterations. This axe was selected out of hundreds and hundreds of inferior examples and represents the finest possible piece of its type - one of the best few of a large, life-long collection! Intact original mineral deposits and patina deep within the flake scars and micro-crevices of the flaking are signs of authenticity and age not found in modern forgeries often seen on the market.
