In 1981, my grandmother began corresponding with a man named Marion Dahm. He was trying to prove that the Vikings had visited North America before Columbus. She had in her possession an axe, spear, or whatever, and was trying to determine what it was. This item was found in a little town in Southern Illinois named Boaz. He was very interested, but through the years, they lost contact with each other. We have numerous articles and letters they shared with each other.
Around six years ago, I decided to investigate some more, and got in contact with a historian named Jim Sheppard, who did major research on DeSoto's journeys through North America. His maps show that DeSoto did travel into Southern Illinois in the same area where this item was found. My question is this...Has anyone ever identified an item such as this, and could it be a halberd? Don said that DeSoto used halberds as weapons on his journeys. He is trying to get in contact with a weapons and arms museum in England, but hasn't heard back yet. Please let me know if you have any thoughts. What a mystery!
