icon for Home page
icon for Kid's Home page
icon for Digital Collection
icon for Activities
icon for Turns Exhibit
icon for In the Classroom
icon for Chronologies
icon for My Collection

Online Collection

front
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.

Detail 1
Detail 1
Detail 2
Detail 2


label levels:

This iron axe was discovered in 1840. Its design is typical of axes made during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its discovery in the middle of the north meadows in Greenfield, Massachusetts, near what had been the junction of the Hinsdale and Punch brooks, suggested to some historians that it was a part of the plunder taken from the town of Deerfield, Massachusetts, during the February, 1704 raid. The town was attacked in mid-winter by a combined raiding force of French and Native Americans from Canada, who took a number of captives north to Canada. Previous tradition held that the raiding party had camped in the frozen swamp just west of the Nims family's farm. The axe's presence alone is not conclusive, however; it may have been discarded or lost at any point after the arrival of Europeans in New England.

 

top of page

Iron Axe

creator   Unknown
length   10.5"
width   7.75"
process/materials   iron
accession #   #1912.14


Look Closer icon My Collection icon Detailed info icon


ecard icon Send an e-Postcard of this object



See Also...

Axe with modern haft

Inventory of Edward Allyn

Broad Ax


button for Side by Side Viewingbutton for Glossarybutton for Printing Helpbutton for How to Read Old Documents

 

Home | Online Collection | Things To Do | Turns Exhibit | Classroom | Chronologies | My Collection
About This Site | Site Index | Site Search | Feedback