Stone Hoes and Gouge

From Madison Historical Society

Stone

The brown-gray stones were likely hoes made of basalt that were worked into their current shapes. They could have been gripped with two hands and used manually, but the notches in their sides indicate that the base of each stone would have been wrapped and tied to a large, heavy stick. The dark gray stone would have been used as a woodworking tool, likely a gouge. Though crude, it was polished by rubbing against other stones for the purposes of sharpness and simple aesthetics.

15) brownish gray  OL 7 1/4, OW 4 3/4;
16) dark gray  OL 8 1/8, OD 2 1/8 (photographed separately with object 80.240.3)
17) brownish gray  OL 10 1/8, OW 5 1/2

Accession/ID Number 80.240.15.16.17