List of pre-Columbian cultures

This is a list of pre-Columbian cultures.

Cultural characteristics

Many pre-Columbian civilizations established permanent or urban settlements, agriculture, and complex societal hierarchies. In North America, indigenous cultures in the Lower Mississippi Valley during the Middle Archaic period built complexes of multiple mounds, with several in Louisiana dated to 5600–5000 BP (3700 BC–3100 BC). Watson Brake is considered the oldest, multiple mound complex in the Americas, as it has been dated to 3500 BC. It and other Middle Archaic sites were built by pre-ceramic, hunter-gatherer societies. They preceded the better known Poverty Point culture and its elaborate complex by nearly 2,000 years.Robert W. Preucel, Stephen A. Mrozowski, Contemporary Archaeology in Theory: The New Pragmatism, John Wiley and Sons, 2010, p. 177 The Mississippi Valley mound-building tradition extended into the Late Archaic period, longer than what later southeastern mound building dependent on sedentary, agricultural societies.(Russo, 1996:285)

Some of these civilizations had long ceased to function by the time of the first permanent European arrivals (c. late 15th – early 16th centuries), and are known only through archaeological investigations or oral history from nations today. Others were contemporary with this period, and are also known from historical accounts of the time. A few, such as the Olmec, Maya, Mixtec, and Nahua had their own written records. However, most Europeans of the time viewed such texts as heretical and burned most of them. Only a few documents were hidden and thus remain today, leaving modern historians with glimpses of ancient culture and knowledge.

From both indigenous American and European accounts and documents, American civilizations at the time of European encounter possessed many impressive attributes, having populous cities, and having developed theories of astronomy and mathematics.

Where they persist, the societies and cultures which gave rise to these civilizations continue to adapt and evolve; they also uphold various traditions and practices which relate back to these earlier times, even if combined with those more recently adopted.

Human sacrifice was a religious practice principally characteristic of pre-Columbian Aztec civilization, although other Mesoamerican civilizations like the Maya and the Zapotec practiced it as well. The extent of the practice is debated by modern scholars.

Northern America

Paleo-Indians, c. 18,000–8000 BC Clovis Folsom tradition Plano cultures Cody complex Archaic Period, 8000–1000 BC Paleo-Arctic tradition, 8000–5000 BC, Alaska and Yukon Watson Brake and Lower Mississippi Valley mounds sites, 3500 BC–2800 BC, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida Poverty Point culture, 2200 BC–700 BC, Lower Mississippi Valley and surrounding Gulf coast Post-archaic period, 1000 BC–onward Southwest: Ancestral Pueblo culture, 1200 BC–1300 AD, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico—one of these cultural groups referred to as Anasazi Fremont culture, 1 AD–1300 AD, Utah and parts of Nevada, Idaho and Colorado Hohokam, 1 AD–1450 AD, Arizona Eastern Woodlands Woodland period, 1000 BC–1000 AD Adena, 1000–200 BC, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and parts of Pennsylvania and New York. Hopewell culture, 200 BC–500 AD, Southeastern Canada and eastern United States Troyville culture, 400–700 AD, Louisiana and Mississippi Coles Creek culture, 700–1200 AD, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi Plum Bayou culture, 700–1200 AD, Arkansas Mississippian culture, 800 AD–1730 AD, Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States Caborn-Welborn culture, 1400–1700 AD, Indiana and Kentucky. Caddoan Mississippian culture, 1000 AD–1650 AD, Eastern Oklahoma, Western Arkansas, Northeast Texas, and Northwest Louisiana. Fort Walton Culture, 1100–1550 AD, Florida. Leon-Jefferson Culture, 1100–1550 AD, Florida. Plaquemine culture, 1200–1730 AD, Louisiana and Mississippi. Upper Mississippian culture, Fort Ancient, 1000 AD–1650 AD, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia Oneota, 900–1650 AD, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri.

Caribbean Lithic/Archaic Age, c. 5500—200 BC Greater Antilles Casimiroid culture, c. 5500—200 BC Ciboney people, Greater Antilles, c. 1000—300 BC"Aboriginal Roots of Cuban Culture." (retrieved 9 July 2011) Guanahatabey, Cuba, c. 1000 BC Lesser Antilles Ortoiroid culture, c. 5500—200 BC"Prehistory of the Caribbean Culture Area." Southeast Archaeological Center. (retrieved 9 July 2011) Krum Bay culture, Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, c. 1500—200 BC Coroso culture, Puerto Rico, c. 1000 BC–AD 200 Early Ceramic Age, c. 500 BC—AD 600 Lesser Antilles to Puerto Rico Saladoid culture, 500 BC—AD 600 Cedrosan Saladoid ceramics, 500 BC-AD 300 Saladoid-Barrancoid ceramics, AD 300-600 La Huecan culture, c. 500 BC—AD 600 Vieques, Puerto Rico Late Ceramic Age, c. AD 600-1500 Greater Antilles Ostionoid culture, AD 600—1500 Taíno people Lucayans, Greater Antilles and Bahamas 700 AD–1500 AD – group encountered by Columbus Lesser Antilles Troumassoid culture, c. AD 600-1500 Troumassan ceramics, AD 600-900 Suazan ceramics, AD 900-1500 Igneri, Dominica 500 AD, St. Croix 650 AD, Puerto Rico 1000 AD Linguistic/Non-Archaeological Denominations Arawak people Kalinago/"Carib" Nepoya and Suppoya, TrinidadJohn Albert Bullbrook, The aboriginal remains of Trinidad and the West Indies, A. L. Rhodes, Port of Spain, Trinidad, 1941John Albert Bullbrook, The Ierian Race, Historical Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Port of Spain, Trinidad, 1940

Mesoamerica

In alphabetical order: Aztec, 1325–1521 AD, central Mexico Chorotegas, 500-1530 AD, Nicaragua; Costa Rica Epi-Olmec culture, 300 BC-250 AD, Veracruz Formative Period, 2500 BC–200 AD, La Blanca, Ujuxte, Monte Alto Culture, Mokaya Culture Huastec, 1000 BC–1500 AD, Hidalgo, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas Lenca, unknown-1539 AD, Honduras and eastern El Salvador Maya, 2600 BC–1697 AD, Mexican Southern states: Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche and Yucatán Peninsula; Central America: Belize; Guatemala; El Salvador; Honduras Mezcala, 700 BC-650 AD, Guerrero Mixe, 400–present Mixtec, unknown–1600 AD, western Oaxaca Nicarao people, 700-1622 AD, Nicaragua; Costa Rica Nicoya Kingdom, 500 BC-1524 AD, Costa Rica Olmec, 1500–400 BC, Veracruz and Tabasco Pipil people, c. 1200-1528 AD, El Salvador Purépecha Empire or Tarascan state, 1300–1530 AD, Michoacán Teotihuacán, 200 BC–800 AD, near Mexico City Teuchitlan tradition, 300 BC – 500 AD, north-central Jalisco Toltec, 900–1100 AD – may be mythical Totonac, unknown–1500 AD, eastern Mexico Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition, 1500–300 BC, Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition, 300 BC–400 AD, Jalisco, Nayarit, and, to a lesser extent, Colima Zapotec, 500 BC–1500 AD, Oaxaca

Isthmo-Colombian area Cueva people, ?–1530 AD, Panama Diquis culture, 700–1530 AD, Costa Rica Gran Coclé, 1200 BC-1500 AD, Panama Huetar people, ?-1600 AD, Costa Rica Miskito people, -1700 AD, Honduras; Nicaragua Mayangna people, 1700 AD, Nicaragua Cacaopera people, 1700 AD, El Salvador; Nicaragua

South America

PeriodDatesCulturesCeramicLate Horizon1476 AD – 1534 AD Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia: Inca Empire; Brazil: Cambeba; Colombia: Muisca Confederation Argentina: Diaguita Late Intermediate 1000 AD – 1476 AD Bolivia: Aymara kingdoms; Colombia: Muisca, Capuli, Tairona; Ecuador: Los Huancavilca, Kingdom of Quito, Manteño, Capuli;Peru: Chimú, Chincha, Cajamarca, Chiribaya, Piura, Chancay, Chachapoyas, Chiribaya, Chucuito, Huaman Huilca, Ilo, Lupaca, Qotu Qotu, Pacacocha, Palli Marca, Piura, Sican, Tajaraca, Huaylas, Conchucos, Huamachuco, Rucanas, Chanka, Ayabaca, Bracamoros, Huancabambas, Tallan culture, Huarco, Ichma, Parinacota, Cuntis, Chinchaycochas, Huarochiri, Kheswas, Tarmas, Paltas, Camanas; Argentina: Diaguita Middle Horizon 600 AD – 1000 AD Bolivia: Tiwanaku (kin to Wari); Brazil: Marajoara culture; Colombia: Cauca culture, Herrera, Capuli, Quimbaya, Tairona; Ecuador: Cañari culture, Capuli; Peru: Chimu, Huari/Wari, Piura; Argentina: Diaguita Early Intermediate 200 AD–600 AD Bolivia: Tiwanaku; Colombia: Herrera, Quimbaya, San Agustín, Tairona, Tierradentro, Tolima; Ecuador (the Upano Valley): La Bahía, Cara, Quitu; Peru: Moche, Nazca, Lima, Pechiche, Piura Early Horizon900 BC–200 AD Colombia: Calima culture (200 BC–400 AD), Herrera; Ecuador: Chorrera, La Tolita; Peru: Chavín, Cupisnique, Late Chiripa, Paracas, Pechiche, Sechura, Xakse Initial Period1800/1500 BC – 900 BCEcuador: Cotocollao; Machalilla; Peru: Early Chiripa, Kotosh, Chavín Toríl (The Cumbe Mayo aqueduct was built c. 1000 BC), Argentina: Tehuelches (?-1820)Preceramic Period VI2500 BC – 1500/1800 BC Ecuador: Valdivia; Peru: Casma/Sechin culture, Norte Chico (Caral), Buena Vista, Casavilca, Culebras, Ventarrón, Viscachani, Huaca Prieta; Peru, Chile: Chinchorro Period V 4200 BC – 2500 BC Ecuador: Valdivia; Peru: Casma/Sechin culture, Norte Chico (Caral), Honda, Lauricocha III, Viscachani; Peru, Chile: Chinchorro Period IV 6000 BC – 4200 BC Peru: Ambo, Canario, Siches, Lauricocha II, Luz, Toquepala II; Peru, Chile: Chinchorro Period III 8000 BC – 6000 BC Ecuador: Las Vegas, 8000–4600 BC; Peru: Arenal, Chivateros II, Lauricocha I, Playa Chira, Puyenca, Toquepala I; Peru, Chile: Chinchorro Period II 9500 BC – 8000 BC Ecuador: El Inga; Peru: Chivateros I, Lauricocha I Period I ? BC – 9500 BC Colombia: El Abra, (12,500–10,000 BC); Peru: Oquendo, Red Zone (central coast); Argentina & Chile: Patagonia

See also

Mississippi culture Indigenous peoples of the Americas – for coverage on present-day indigenous peoples Lithic stage in Canada Cultural periods of Peru Pre-Columbian Brazil Pre-Columbian Ecuador Pre-Columbian cultures of Colombia Classification of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas Marajoara culture Quilmes people Ancestral Puebloans

References

Sources

External links

National Museum of the American Indian, collections search , Four Directions Institute

it:Civiltà precolombiane zh:前哥倫布時代