Grooved adz with scale

This unusual artifact was found near Monroe, NC in 1973 by local landowner, Ken Batson. This suspected grooved adz is made out of local meta-argillite and has a deliberately modified area where a handle was likely attached. This distinct “neck” was created using a technique of pecking and grinding. Unlike a typical grooved axe, the bit end of this tool would have been oriented perpendicular to the handle and was not ground smooth. Note the edge damage on the bit end. An adz is woodworking tool used to dress, shape, or smooth timber and could have been used prehistorically to make wooden bowls, dugout canoes, or other wooden objects. It is unclear how old this object is, but if it was made during the time that many of the grooved axes were being made and used, it would likely date to the Late Archaic period (3000-1000 BC). It measures approximately 18.5 cm long, 5.2 cm tall, and 3.8 cm wide. This model was constructed by David Cranford using 46 digital photos and Agisoft Metashape software. Credit: NCDNCR/OSA