List of pre-Columbian cultures

Pyramid of the Sun and Avenue of The Dead, viewed from the top of Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacán, Mexico, 100–200 AD

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

Cultural characteristics

Many pre-Columbian civilizations established permanent or urban settlements, agriculture, and complex societal hierarchies.

Watson Brake, Louisiana 3500 BC

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.^[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 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.

A word on human sacrifice. This 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

Main article: List of archaeological periods (North America)

Paleo-Indians, ca. 18,000–8000 BC
- Clovis culture, 11,500–11,000 BC, United States, Mexico, and Central America
- 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–1500 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

Early South American cultures

Ortoiroid people, ca. 5500—200 BC^[2]
- Krum Bay culture, Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, 1500—200 BC^[2]
- Coroso culture, Puerto Rico, 1000 BC–200 AD^[2]
Ciboney people, Greater Antilles, ca. 1000—301 BC^[3]
- Guanahatabey, Cuba, 1000 BC
Saladoid culture, 500 BC—545 AD^[2]
Ostionoid culture, 600—1500 AD^[2]
Arawak people, ca. 500–1500 BC^[2]
- Taíno, Lesser Antilles and Guadeloupe^[2]
- Lucayans, Greater Antilles and Bahamas 700 AD–1500 AD^[2] – group encountered by Columbus
- Nepoya and Suppoya, Trinidad^[2]^[4]^[5]
- Igneri, Dominica 500 AD, St. Croix 650 AD, Puerto Rico 1000 AD^[2]

Mesoamerica

Main article: Mesoamerican chronology

Aztec, 1325–1521 AD, central Mexico
Purépecha Empire or Tarascan state, 1300–1530 AD, Michoacán
Huastec, 1000 BC–1500 AD, Hidalgo, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas
Mixtec, unknown–1600 AD, western Oaxaca
Maya, 2600 BC–1697 AD, Mexican Southern states: Chiapas, Tabasco,Campeche and Yucatán Peninsula; Central America: Belize; Guatemala; El Salvador; Honduras
Toltec, 900–1100 AD – may be mythical
Formative Period, 2500 BC–200 AD, La Blanca, Ujuxte, Monte Alto Culture, Mokaya Culture
Teotihuacán, 200 BC–800 AD, near Mexico City
Totonac, unknown–1500 AD, eastern Mexico
Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition, 300 BC–400 AD, Jalisco, Nayarit, and, to a lesser extent, Colima
Zapotec, 500 BC–1500 AD, Oaxaca
Mixe, 400–present
Olmec, 1500–400 BC, Veracruz and Tabasco
Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition, 1500–300 BC, Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit
Teuchitlan tradition, 300 BC – 500 AD, north-central Jalisco

Isthmo-Colombian area

Cueva people, ?–1530 AD, Panama
Diquis culture, 700–1530 AD, Costa Rica

South America

Period	Dates	Cultures
Ceramic
Late Horizon	1476 AD – 1534 AD	Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia: Inca Empire; Brazil: Cambeba
Late Intermediate	1000 AD – 1476 AD	Bolivia: Aymara nations; Colombia: Muisca Confederation, 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 AD – 1000 AD	Bolivia: Tiwanaku; Brazil: Marajoara culture; Colombia: Cauca culture, Nariño, Quimbaya, Tairona; Ecuador: Cañari culture, Nariño; Peru: Huari, Piura
Early Intermediate	200 AD–600 AD	Bolivia: Tiwanaku; Colombia: Quimbaya, San Agustín, Tairona, Tierradentro, Tolima; Ecuador: La Bahía, Cara, Quitu; Peru: Moche, Nazca, Lima, Pechiche, Piura
Early Horizon	900 BC–200 AD	Colombia: Calima culture (200 BC–400 AD), Chibcha; Ecuador: Chorrera, La Tolita; Peru: Chavín, Cupisnique, Late Chiripa, Paracas, Pechiche, Sechura, Xakse
Initial Period	1800/1500 BC – 900 BC	Ecuador: Cotocollao; Machalilla; Peru: Early Chiripa, Kotosh, Toríl (The Cumbe Mayo aqueduct was built ca. 1000 BC), Argentina: Tehuelches (?-1820)
Preceramic
Period VI	2500 BC – 1500/1800 BC	Ecuador: Valdivia; Peru: Norte Chico (Caral), Buena Vista, Casavilca, Culebras, Ventarrón, Viscachani, Huaca Prieta
Period V	4200 BC – 2500 BC	Ecuador: Valdivia; Peru: Honda, Lauricocha III, Viscachani
Period IV	6000 BC – 4200 BC	Peru: Ambo, Canario, Siches, Lauricocha II, Luz, Toquepala II
Period III	8000 BC – 6000 BC	Ecuador: Las Vegas, 8000–4600 BC; Peru: Arenal, Chivateros II, Lauricocha I, Playa Chira, Puyenca, Toquepala I
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

References

1 2 Robert W. Preucel, Stephen A. Mrozowski, Contemporary Archaeology in Theory: The New Pragmatism, John Wiley and Sons, 2010, p. 177
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Prehistory of the Caribbean Culture Area." Southeast Archaeological Center. (retrieved 9 July 2011)
↑ "Aboriginal Roots of Cuban Culture." (retrieved 9 July 2011)
↑ John Albert Bullbrook, The aboriginal remains of Trinidad and the West Indies, A. L. Rhodes, Port of Spain, Trinidad, 1941
↑ John Albert Bullbrook, The Ierian Race, Historical Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Port of Spain, Trinidad, 1940

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pre-Columbian cultures.

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

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

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Related topics

Category
Portal

Pre-Columbian civilizations and cultures
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 – Mezcala – Mixtec – Olmec – Pipil – Quelepa – Shaft tomb tradition – Teuchitlan – Purépecha – Teotihuacan – Tlatilco – Tlaxcaltec – Toltec – Totonac – Veracruz – Xochipala – Zapotec
South America	South American Indigenous people – Pre-Columbian chronology – Cañaris – Chachapoya – Chancay – Chavín – Chimú – 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 Agustín – Shuar – Sican – Taíno – Tairona – Tiwanaku – Tierradentro – Valdivia – Wari
	Aztec	Maya civilization	Inca Empire – Andean civilizations
Language	Nahuatl	Mayan languages	Quechua
Writing	Aztec writing	Maya script	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 Neo-Inca State
People	Moctezuma I Moctezuma II Cuitláhuac Cuauhtémoc	K'inich Janaab' Pakal Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil Jasaw Chan K'awiil I	Manco Cápac Pachacuti Atahualpa Manco Inca Yupanqui Túpac Amaru II
Conquest	Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire (Hernán Cortés)	Spanish conquest of the Maya 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 Portal:Mesoamerica Columbian Exchange Mesoamerican writing systems Native American cuisine Native American pottery Population history of indigenous peoples of the Americas Pre‑Columbian art Painting in the Americas before European colonization

Pre-Columbian North America

Periods Lithic Archaic Formative Classic Post-Classic

Archaeological cultures	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 Glacial Kame Glades Hohokam Hopewell List of Hopewell sites Leon-Jefferson Mississippian List of Mississippian sites Mogollon Monongahela Old Cordilleran Oneota Paleo-Arctic Paleo-Indians Patayan Plano Plaquemine Poverty Point 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 Casa Grande Chaco Canyon Coso Rock Art District Crystal River Archaeological State Park 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 Mounds 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 Recapture Canyon Rock Eagle Rock Hawk Russell Cave National Monument Salmon Ruins Serpent Mound Spiro Mounds SunWatch Taos Pueblo Toltec Mounds Town Creek Indian Mound Winterville Wupatki National Monument

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

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

History of the Americas

History	North America Mesoamerica Central America Caribbean Latin America South America Andean South America Genetics

Settlement	Indigenous peoples Indigenous population Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact theories Discovery Exploration European colonization Spanish colonization French colonization Portuguese colonization British colonization Columbian Exchange Decolonization

Societies	Paleo-Indians Pre-Columbian era Maya Incas Aztecs

Related	Maps Culture Geography Indigenous languages Epidemics Slavery

Lists	Pre-Columbian cultures Indigenous peoples Population Conflicts North America South America

Chronology	Archaeology of the Americas North America by period North American timelines Mesoamerica by period Mesoamerica timeline

Era: By period By region Three-age system Ancient history Pre-Columbian era Classical Antiquity Middle Ages Modern history Future

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