List of pre-Columbian cultures

This list of pre-Columbian cultures includes those civilizations and cultures of the Americas which flourished prior to the European colonization of the Americas.

1 Cultural characteristics
2 Northern America
3 Mesoamerica
4 Caribbean
5 South America
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

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 BCE-3100 BCE). Watson Brake is considered the oldest, multiple mound complex in the Americas, as it has been dated to 3500 BCE. 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.^[1] The Mississippi Valley mound-building tradition extended into the Late Archaic period, longer than later southeastern mound building dependent on sedentary, agricultural societies.(Russo, 1996:285)^[1]

Some of these civilizations had long ceased to function by the time of the first permanent European arrivals (ca. late 15th – early 16th centuries), and are known only through archaeological investigations or oral history from tribes 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 hidden documents 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 the most populous city in the world, and having developed modern 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.

Northern America

Main article: List of archaeological periods (North America)

Paleo-Indians, ca. 18,000–8000 BCE
- Clovis culture, 11,500–11,000 BCE, United States, Mexico, and Central America
- Folsom tradition
- Plano cultures
- Cody complex
Archaic Period, 8000–1000 BCE
- Paleo-Arctic Tradition, 8000–5000 BCE, Alaska and Yukon Territory
- Watson Brake and Lower Mississippi Valley mounds sites, 3500 BCE-2800 BCE, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida
- Poverty Point culture, 2200 BCE–700 BCE, Lower Mississippi Valley and surrounding Gulf coast
Post-archaic period, 1000 BCE-onward
- Southwest:
  - Ancestral Pueblo culture, 1200 BCE–1300 CE, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico
  - Fremont culture, 400 CE–1350 CE, Utah and parts of Nevada, Idaho and Colorado
  - Hohokam, 200 CE–1450 CE, Arizona
- Eastern Woodlands
  - Woodland period, 1000 BCE–1000 CE
    - Adena, 1000–200 BCE, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and parts of Pennsylvania and New York.
    - Hopewell culture, 200 BCE–500 CE, Southeastern Canada and eastern United States
    - Troyville culture, 400-700 CE, Louisiana and Mississippi
    - Coles Creek culture, 700-1200 CE, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi
    - Plum Bayou culture, 700-1200 CE, Arkansas
  - Mississippian culture, 800 CE–1500 CE, Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States
    - Caborn-Welborn culture, 1400-1700 CE, Indiana and Kentucky.
    - Caddoan Mississippian culture, 1000 CE–1650 CE, Eastern Oklahoma, Western Arkansas, Northeast Texas, and Northwest Louisiana.
    - Fort Walton Culture, 1100–1550 CE, Florida.
    - Leon-Jefferson Culture, 1100–1550 CE, Florida.
    - Plaquemine culture, 1200-1730 CE, Louisiana and Mississippi.
    - Upper Mississippian culture,
      - Fort Ancient, 1000 CE–1650 CE, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia
      - Oneota, 900-1650 CE, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri.

Mesoamerica

Main article: Mesoamerican chronology

Aztec, 1325–1521 CE, central Mexico
Huastec, 1000 BCE–1500 CE, Hidalgo, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas
Mixtec, unknown–1600 CE, western Oaxaca
Maya, 500 BCE–900 CE, Southern Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco, Mexican Yucatán Peninsula states of Quintana Roo, Campeche, and Yucatán; Guatemala; Belize; El Salvador; western Honduras
Olmec, 1200–400 BCE, Veracruz and Tabasco
P'urhépecha or Tarascan state, 1300–1530 CE, Michoacán
Teotihuacán, 200 BCE–800 CE, near Mexico City
Toltec, 900–1100 CE
Totonac, unknown–1500 CE, eastern Mexico
Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition, 300 BCE–400 CE, Jalisco, Nayarit, and, to a lesser extent, Colima
Zapotec, 500 BCE–1500 CE, Oaxaca

Caribbean

Ortoiroid people, ca. 5500—200 BCE^[2]
- Krum Bay culture, Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, 1500—200 BCE^[2]
- Coroso culture, Puerto Rico, 1000 BCE–200 CE^[2]
Ciboney people, Greater Antilles, ca. 1000—301 BCE^[3]
- Guanahatabey, Cuba, 1000 BCE
Saladoid culture, 500 BCE—545 CE^[2]
Ostionoid culture, 600—1500 CE^[2]

South America

Period	Dates	Cultures
Ceramic
Late Horizon	1476 CE – 1534 CE	Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia: Inca Empire; Brazil: Cambeba
Late Intermediate	1000 CE – 1476 CE	Bolivia: Aymara nations; Colombia: Muisca, Nariño, Tairona; Ecuador: Los Huancavilca, Kingdom of Quito, Manteño, Nariño; Peru: Chimú, Chincha, Cajamarca, Piura, Chancay, Chachapoyas, Chiribaya, Chucuito, Huaman Huilca, Ilo, 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
Middle Horizon	600 CE – 1000 CE	Bolivia: Tiwanaku; Brazil: Marajoara culture; Colombia: Cauca culture, Nariño, Quimbaya, Tairona; Ecuador: Cañari culture, Nariño; Peru: Huari, Piura
Early Intermediate	200 CE–600 CE	Bolivia: Tiwanaku; Colombia: Quimbaya, San Agustín, Tairona, Tierradentro, Tolima; Ecuador: La Bahía, Cara, Quitu; Peru: Moche, Nazca, Lima, Pechiche, Piura
Early Horizon	900 BCE–200 CE	Colombia: Calima culture (200 BCE–400 CE), Chibcha; Ecuador: Chorrera, La Tolita; Peru: Chavín, Cupisnique, Late Chiripa, Paracas, Pechiche, Sechura
Initial Period	1800/1500 BCE – 900 BCE	Ecuador: Cotocollao; Machalilla; Peru: Early Chiripa, Kotosh, Toríl (The Cumbe Mayo aqueduct was built ca. 1000 BCE)
Preceramic
Period VI	2500 BCE – 1500/1800 BCE	Ecuador: Valdivia; Peru: Norte Chico (Caral), Buena Vista, Casavilca, Culebras, Ventarrón, Viscachani, Huaca Prieta
Period V	4200 BCE – 2500 BCE	Ecuador: Valdivia; Peru: Honda, Lauricocha III, Viscachani
Period IV	6000 BCE – 4200 BCE	Peru: Ambo, Canario, Siches, Lauricocha II, Luz, Toquepala II
Period III	8000 BCE – 6000 BCE	Ecuador: Las Vegas, 8000–4600 BCE; Peru: Arenal, Chivateros II, Lauricocha I, Playa Chira, Puyenca, Toquepala I
Period II	9500 BCE – 8000 BCE	Ecuador: El Inga; Peru: Chivateros I, Lauricocha I
Period I	? BCE – 9500 BCE	Colombia: El Abra, (12,500–10,000 BCE); Peru: Oquendo, Red Zone (central coast)

References

^ ^a ^b Robert W. Preucel, Stephen A. Mrozowski, Contemporary Archaeology in Theory: The New Pragmatism, John Wiley and Sons, 2010, p. 177
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Prehistory of the Caribbean Culture Area." Southeast Archaeological Center. (retrieved 9 July 2011)
^ "Aboriginal Roots of Cuban Culture." (retrieved 9 July 2011)

External links

National Museum of the American Indian, collections search
Pre-Columbian cultures in present-day United States, Four Directions Institute

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

History

Paleo-Indians · Pre-Columbian era · Classification · Archaeology · Genetics

European
colonization

European colonization · Population history · Columbian Exchange

By country

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South America	Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Paraguay · Peru · Venezuela · South American Indigenous people

Category · Portal


Americas	Paleo-Indians · Genetic history · Archaeology of the Americas · Indigenous peoples of the Americas
North America	North American pre-Columbian cultures – Caddoan Mississippian – Chichimeca –Hopewell tradition – Coles Creek – Fremont – Marksville – Mississippian – Mogollon – Plaquemine – Plum Bayou – Poverty Point – Troyville – Weeden Island –
Mesoamerica	Mesoamerican pre-Columbian chronology – Capacha – Cholula – Coclé – Epi-Olmec – Huastec – Izapa – Mixtec – Olmec – Pipil – Quelepa – Shaft tomb tradition – Teuchitlan – Tarascan – Teotihuacan – Tlatilco – Tlaxcaltec – Toltec – Totonac – Veracruz – Xochipala – Zapotec
South America	South American Indigenous people – pre-Columbian chronology – Cañaris – Chachapoya – Chancay – Chavín – Chimu – El Abra – Hydraulic culture of mounds (Bolivia) – Las Vegas – Lima – La Tolita (Tumaco) – Manteño-Guancavilca – Mapuche – Moche – Mollo – Muisca (Chibchas) – Nariño – Nazca – Norte Chico – Quimbaya – San Agustin – Shuar – Sican – Taino – Tairona – Tiwanaku – Tierradentro – Valdivia – Wari
	Aztec civilization	Maya civilization	Inca Empire – Inca civilization
Language	Nahuatl language	Mayan languages	Quechua
Writing	Aztec writing	Mayan writing	Quipu
Religion	Aztec religion	Maya religion	Inca religion
Mythology	Aztec mythology	Maya mythology	Inca mythology
Calendar	Aztec calendar	Maya calendar
Society	Aztec society	Maya society	Inca society
Infrastructure	Chinampas	Maya architecture	Inca architecture (road system) Incan agriculture
History	Aztec history		Inca history
People	Moctezuma I Moctezuma II Cuitlahuac Cuauhtémoc	K'inich Janaab' Pakal Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil Jasaw Chan K'awiil I	Manco Cápac Pachacutec Atahualpa Manco Inca
Conquest	Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire (Hernán Cortés)	Spanish conquest of Yucatán (Francisco de Montejo) Spanish conquest of Guatemala (Pedro de Alvarado)	Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (Francisco Pizarro)
See also
Portal:Indigenous peoples of North America – Columbian exchange – Mesoamerican writing systems – Native American cuisine – Native American pottery – Population history of American indigenous peoples – Pre-Columbian art – Painting in the Americas before Colonization

Pre-Columbian North America

Archaeological cultures	North American pre-Columbian chronology – Adena – Alachua – Ancient Pueblo (Anasazi) – Baytown – Belle Glade – Buttermilk Creek Complex – Caborn-Welborn – Calf Creek – Caloosahatchee – Clovis – Coles Creek – Deptford – Folsom – Fort Ancient – Fort Walton – Fremont – Glades – Glacial Kame – Hopewell (List of Hopewell sites) – Hohokam – Leon-Jefferson – Mississippian (List of Mississippian sites) – Mogollon – Monongahela – Old Cordilleran – Oneota – Paleo-Arctic – Paleo-Indians – Patayan – Plano – Plaquemine – Poverty Point – Prehistoric Southwest – Red Ocher – Santa Rosa-Swift Creek – St. Johns – Steed-Kisker – Tchefuncte – Tocobaga – Troyville

Archaeological sites	Angel Mounds – Bandelier National Monument – The Bluff Point Stoneworks – Cahokia – Chaco Canyon – Casa Grande – Coso Rock Art District – Eaker – Effigy Mounds National Monument – Etowah Indian Mounds – Eva – Folsom Site – Fort Ancient – Fort Center – Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument – Holly Bluff Site – Hopewell Culture National Historical Park – Kincaid Mounds – Kolomoki – Manitou Cliff Dwellings – Marksville – Meadowcroft Rockshelter – Mesa Verde – Moorehead Circle – Moundville – Mummy Cave – Nodena Site – Ocmulgee National Monument – Old Stone Fort – Parkin Park – Pinson Mounds – Portsmouth Earthworks – Poverty Point – Pueblo Bonito – Rock Eagle – Rock Hawk – Salmon Ruins – Serpent Mound – Spiro Mounds – SunWatch – Taos Pueblo – Toltec Mounds – Town Creek Indian Mound – Winterville

Miscellaneous	Ballgame – Black drink – Buhl woman – Calumet – Chunkey – Clovis point – Container Revolution – Eastern Agricultural Complex – Eden point – Effigy mound – Falcon dancer – Folsom point – Green Corn Ceremony – Horned Serpent – Kennewick man – Kiva – Metallurgy – Mi'kmaq hieroglyphic writing – Medicine wheel – Mound builders – N.A.G.P.R.A. – Norse colonization of the Americas – Piasa – Pueblo dwellings – Southeastern Ceremonial Complex – Three Sisters agriculture – Thunderbird – Underwater panther

Related: Genetic history · Indigenous Portal of North America · Pre-Columbian era

History of the Americas

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Lists	Pre-Columbian cultures · Indigenous peoples · Population · Conflicts (North America, South America)

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