Native American Artifacts & Collectibles
Lot 238:
4 7/8" Ground Slate Double Ended Chisel Adze found in Viriginia
A finely crafted double-ended ground slate chisel-adze, shaped from a dense, jet-black, fine-grained Virginia slate typical of Late Archaic and Early Woodland woodworking traditions across the Tidewater and Lower Piedmont. The piece measures 4 7/8 inches in length and is worked into two opposing chisel-like bits, each tapering cleanly from a flat, adze-style base that served as the hafting seat. From both ends the body rises gently toward a slightly thickened midsection, where two narrow, deliberate circumferential grooves were added as reinforcement bands – a characteristic feature of Mid-Atlantic slate tools, used to anchor rawhide or fiber wraps that strengthened the tool at its thinnest point. The stone itself is a uniform, inclusion-free black slate, showing the classic aged grey patina seen on ancient Virginia slate implements. Its fine grain allowed the maker to achieve crisp edges, a smooth ancient polish, and the precise groove work visible at the center. Both ends retain the original tapered working form, consistent with dual-function woodworking or perforation tools known from the Chesapeake watershed. The overall form, stone type, groove placement, and flat hafting base are all consistent with authentic Late Archaic to Early Woodland slate tool manufacture in eastern Virginia.Ex James Shields Collection.
Condition: Ancient Authentic
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