These celts were collected from the White Cloud, Kansas area by antiquarian Mark E. Zimmerman (1866-1933). They were first housed at the Highland Mission (Iowa and Sac and Fox Mission) and came to the Kansas Historical Society in 1980. Celts such as these were made by pecking a hard stone into a rough shape then grinding and polishing it into its final state. The finished celt was socketed into a handle and each time it was used it would have seated itself more firmly into the handle. The polish on the ends of the celts are the result of use contact with plant materials, such as wood. Celts often date to the Late Archaic period through the Late Ceramic period, when they were replaced by iron axes.