A ground and polished stone axe head (celt), collected in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso, measuring approximately 10 cm in height. The tool has an elongated oval form, tapering from a rounded poll (butt end) to a flattened, smoothed cutting edge. The entire surface has been shaped through grinding and polishing rather than flaking, giving it a smooth, even texture typical of Neolithic ground-stone technology. The stone is a warm tan-brown color with natural mineral flecking.
Ground stone axes of this type date to the Neolithic period and were used across West Africa and the wider Sahel for woodworking, land clearance, and general cutting tasks, typically mounted in a wood haft. In many West African oral traditions, including in Burkina Faso, such stones are also known as "thunderstones," associated with lightning and storms, and were sometimes kept for their believed protective properties long after their practical use had passed.
Details:
- Origin: Sahel region, Burkina Faso
- Type: Neolithic polished stone axe head (celt)
- Material: Ground and polished stone
- Height: approx. 10 cm
- Condition: Consistent with age and burial/ground exposure; smooth all-over polish intact