Adze
Unknown Artist
Medium
Nephrite
Dimensions
H. 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm); W. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm); D. 7/16 in. (1.1 cm)
Classification
Jade
Culture & Period
North America (Alaska, Diomede Island) · Prehistoric
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902
Accession Number
02.18.255
Art Historical Context
This petite nephrite adze,ailing from prehistoric Diomede Island in Alaska exemplifies the ingenuity of North American Arctic cultures. Measuring just over 2 inches tall, this handheld woodworking tool—used for shaping wood by striking with a handle attached perpendicular to its blade—reflects the daily lives of ancient peoples in a harsh environment. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in1902 by Heber R. Bishop, it resides in the Asian Art department hinting at intriguing cultural connections across the Bering Strait. Crafted from nephrite, a dense and exceptionally tough form of jade,...