Item PL32
This Item was Sold on 9 March 2023
for $103
Similar artifacts for sale are often found on the Lithic
Artifacts web page.
Historical Pricing information for this item and similar artifacts
can be found at: Historical Artifact
Prices.
This item is a lot of 4 Pre-Columbian Neolithic stone
tools (stone axes or celts) found in Central Panama. All of
these were made out of Basalt or a similar dense stove
material. They were found on the South East shore of a large
island in Gatun Lake near the south end of the Gatun Locks.
Zonians called this island "Navy Island", but the official
name is Guarapo Island. Before the Panama Canal was
constructed, this island was a tall hill over looking the
Chagres River. All of these artifacts are surface finds. As
a teen, living in the town of Gatun, I visited Navy Island
often to fish and camp. The wave action from the ships
leaving Gatun Locks would wash against the steep hillside
and erode the red clay soil to expose lithic artifacts. I
collected these between 1966 and 1968. All of these
artifacts were collected in the American Canal Zone prior to
when the territory was ceded back to Panama in 1999. I brought several of my celts to U.C. Berkeley in 1969
for identification. I was told that they are similar to
artifacts in the U.C. Berkeley collection that were dated
between 500 B.C. and 600 A.D. These celts are in very nice condition with only a few
minor faults, such as edge chips, etc. The cutting edges on
two of them are in very nice condition. The other two have
well defined cutting edges with wear or a few edge
chips. The approximate dimensions and weights are as
follows: Celt #2: Length = 84 mm ; Width = 64 mm ; Thickness = 30
mm ; Weight = 226 gm Celt #3: Length = 78 mm ; Width = 55 mm ; Thickness = 24
mm ; Weight = 142 gm Celt #4: Length = 72 mm ; Width = 42 mm ; Thickness = 15
mm ; Weight = 92 gm