TitleStone Tool - Ground Edge AxeObject TypeFirst NationsDescriptionThis ground edge stone axe was collected in the Illawarra from 1962 to 1968.
The axe head has a sharp, polished cutting edge and many percussion marks that were formed during the shaping process.
Ground edge tools were made from fracture-resistant stone and were able to stand repeated impact. Stone was quarried or collected and roughly shaped with a hammerstone.
Edges were then sharpened and refined by grinding the tool against a rough surface. Deep grooves from this grinding action, can be found in sandstone outcrops along the Illawarra escarpment.
Axes were general implement tools, used mostly for working wood.
