Grooved axe · Late Archaic
Three-quarter-grooved axe
3000 BCE–1400 CE, Archaic (Eastern), Hohokam, Mogollon
The three-quarter-grooved axe is a hafted ground-stone axe of the Late Archaic East and, separately, of the Southwest, where Hohokam and Mogollon examples of about 700 to 1,400 CE are long and finely polished. In the East it succeeds the full-grooved form. Southwestern examples in green diorite are highly prized.
| Object | Grooved axe |
|---|---|
| Dates | 3000 BCE–1400 CE |
| Period | Late Archaic |
| Cultures | Archaic (Eastern), Hohokam, Mogollon |
| Regions | North America — Eastern Woodlands, North America — Southwest |
Diagnostic traits
Groove runs around three sides leaving one face flat; Southwestern examples are often long and finely polished.
Identification
The groove runs around three sides and leaves one face flat for the haft, unlike the full-grooved axe. Southwestern examples are elongated with a raised ridge flanking the groove and a high polish; Eastern examples are shorter and cruder. Materials are diorite, basalt and greenstone.
Reproductions and fakes
Southwestern axes are reproduced in Mexico and polished on wheels; look for pecking under the polish and differential wear at the bit. Modern grinding leaves regular striations.
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Three-quarter-grooved axe" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/three-quarter-grooved-axe. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-three-quarter-grooved-axe,
title = {Three-quarter-grooved axe},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/three-quarter-grooved-axe}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.