A Stone Adze from Ponape, Eastern Caroline Islands

DURING THE COURSE of archaeological fieldwork undertaken on Ponape in1979-1980, a basalt adze in the Museum Pohnpei collection was brought tothis author's attention. This specimen is notable due to the fact that stone adzes (and/or stone axes) are very rare on Ponape, despite plentiful sources of basalt (Hambruch 1936:52-53; Schurig 1930:7). The situation is similar for other volcanic islands of central Micronesia, though stone adzes are not as rare in western Micronesia (Craib 1977). Bellwood (1979:295) summarizes information on Micronesian stone adzes as follows: Stone tools are not common, even on the volcanic islands, and Micronesian stone adzes are generally of the simple untanged oval or lenticular cross-sectioned forms characteristic of Melanesia (Duff types 2F and 2G). Tanging and waisting are virtu-ally unrecorded. Because of the possible cultural implications of stone-adze styles in Oceania, a descrip-tion of the Ponape specimen is of interest. Furthermore, its relatively large size and fine workmanship (Fig. 1), and its recovery in coral sand dredging from an underwater lagoon location, add to this interest. The distinguishing features of this adze are its broad trapezoidal shape and relatively thin profile. In cross-section it appears lenticular with rounded edges. The tool's maxi-mum length is 19.3 cm, and the maximum thickness is 2.4 cm. The poll section has a squared-off appearance, though there is a slight roundedness in the center. Some evidence of ancient battering may be seen in this area. It is per-haps a result of the original shaping of the tool