
What did the Archaic Indians
Archaic Period
In the classification of the archaeological cultures of North America, the Archaic period or "Meso-Indian period" in North America, taken to last from around 8000 to 1000 BC in the sequence of North American pre-Columbian cultural stages, is a period defined by the archaic stage of cultural de…
What is the difference between archaic and Woodland Indians?
Woodland Indians were different from their Archaic ancestors in several ways. First, while pottery was developed during the Archaic period, the Woodland Indians became very good at making it. They also made it artistic. Second, the Woodland Indians built large burial mounds throughout the region.
What did the Archaic Indians use as weapons?
They hunted a variety of mammals such as white-tailed deer, squirrel, and rabbits where forest met the prairie. What did the Archaic Indians use as weapons? During the Early Archaic period, hunters continued to use spears for hunting. They used the same tools, with shorter handles, as knives.
How was life of Archaic Indians different from Paleo Indians?
Paleo Indians. hunted with pointed spears. Archaic Indians. learned new ways to use Ohio's rich land resources to live and grow food so they did not need to move often, Archaic Indians. hunted smaller animals like deer, bear and birds, fished in lakes and streams, and gathered berries for food, learned to cook with heated stones. Archaic Indians.
What do Archaic Indians use hunt their food?
They hunted herds of mammals using a lightweight, spear-throwing stick called an Atlatl. Archaic Indians relied on plants for food, and used them to make baskets, clothing, and medicine. They used stones to make tools and wove nets to trap animals. How did people in the Archaic period get food?

What did Archaic Indians make?
Few Archaic people lived beyond the age of 40. People during the Archaic era created many new technologies. One major innovation was the process of grinding stones into desirable shape, such as tools and ornaments. These items included weights for fishing nets, axes, pipes, and even large stone cooking bowls.
What are the Archaic Indians?
Around 6000 B.C., at the beginning of the Archaic period, the climate became drier and Ice Age mammals had become extinct. The Archaic people that called the Texas Panhandle home lived in an environment that was rich in various plants and animals.
What did the Archaic Indians hunt?
Archaic people hunted animals that are familiar to us today, including deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. People also ate smaller animals such as rabbits and rodents. Archaic people ate many different kinds of wild plant foods, including greens (leaves), seeds, nuts, and fruits.
What tools did the Archaic Indians use?
Typical ground stone tools from the Iowa Archaic include abraders, axes, manos and metates. Manos were stones used to grind seeds and nuts by crushing or rubbing them against a stone base called a metate. Flint and chert were worked into a variety of tools by chip- ping.
What is the Archaic period known for?
Archaic period, in history and archaeology, the earliest phases of a culture; the term is most frequently used by art historians to denote the period of artistic development in Greece from about 650 to 480 bc, the date of the Persian sack of Athens.
What is the Archaic culture?
Archaic culture, any of the ancient cultures of North or South America that developed from Paleo-Indian traditions and led to the adoption of agriculture.
What did the Archaic people farm?
Wild grasses, greens, roots, tubers, seeds, nuts, and fruits were collected as they came into season, and plants that weren't eaten immediately were stored for future use.
What type of shelter did the Archaic live in?
Most Archaic houses were very similar to Paleoindian houses. Poles were leaned tipi-style around a shallow round or oval basin and then covered with brush and daub. Sometimes rocks were incorporated in the walls and around the base of the structure.
How long was the Archaic period?
The Archaic Period lasted from about 6, 500 B. C. to the introduction of the bow and arrow about A. D. 700-800.
How did the Archaic Period End?
The Greek Archaic Period (c. 800- 479 BCE) started from what can only be termed uncertainty, and ended with the Persians being ejected from Greece for good after the battles of Plataea and Mykale in 479 BCE.
How much is a stone tomahawk worth?
A tomahawk with a forged head, file branding and tacked is worth $6,000 to $8,000.
What was the Archaic period in American history?
The Archaic Period refers to the time between 8000 and 500 BC in the Native American history of Arkansas.
What are prehistoric Indians?
Paleo-Indians, Paleoindians or Paleo-Americans were the first peoples who entered, and subsequently inhabited, the Americas during the final glacial episodes of the late Pleistocene period. The prefix "paleo-" comes from the Greek adjective palaios (παλαιός), meaning "old" or "ancient".
Where did the Archaic Indians live in Tennessee?
During their time in Tennessee, these Indians spread throughout the state. They lived in the major river valleys of Tennessee and along smaller rivers and creeks. One archaeologist described the Woodland people as “filling in” the land throughout the state.
When did the Archaic period begin and end?
Dates for the Archaic are variable, with the earliest dates around 8,500 B.C. and end dates as late as the first few centuries A.D. in some places.
What Tools Did Archaic Indians Use?
Archaic Indians adjusted their diets and lifestyle accordingly. For instance, coastal Indians developed fish hooks and nets for catching fish. Abundant acorns provided a reliable food source for forest inhabitants. Mortars and pestles were used to grind acorns, nuts and hard seeds. Baskets were essential for gathering and storing edible plants. Because Archaic Indians didn’t typically travel as far or as often as their ancestors, they dug pits for storing food, which helped them adjust to changing seasons.
Who Were the Ancient Indians?
Northern Eurasia and America were coated with thick sheets of ice and expansive glaciers. Ocean levels fell, exposing previously submerged land masses that bridged the continents. Plant species, animals and rugged people are believed to have used this route to migrate from Siberia to Alaska. This span of time in North American history is known as the Paleo Indian period. Artifacts such as the distinctive spear point of Paleo Indians make it possible to identify migration routes of Paleo people throughout the Americas.
What Weapons Did the Paleo Indians Use?
The center flute helped affix the tip to a spear. Paleo Indians quickly figured out that cryptocrystalline stone like chert, jasper and certain types of quartz are ideal materials for spearheads because they can be chipped without disintegrating and retain a razor-sharp edge. Paleo Indians carefully transported their valuable weapons from one encampment to the next as the tribe followed the seasonal migration of animals. Stone tips found in the U.S. appear similar to those used during this period in Siberia, supporting the assertion that indigenous people came to the U.S. from Asia.
What was the purpose of spear tips in the Ice Age?
Although primitive in comparison to modern weaponry, Paleo Indian spear tips served their purpose well in the ice age. Tools enabled Archaic Indians to adapt to dramatically changing environmental conditions when the planet warmed and new food sources were needed.
What did the Paleo Indians use to make a tool?
Paleo Indians used a heavy rock called a hammer stone to knap a smaller stone into a desired shape. The goal was to fashion a tool with sharp edges that could be used for hunting, self-defense or cutting chunks of meat. Sharp scrapers aided in the cleaning of hides and pelts after a successful hunt.
What were the challenges faced by the Indians during the Archaic period?
When glaciers eventually receded and the earth warmed up, indians of the Archaic period faced a different set of challenges. Large animals once hunted became extinct, eliminating the hunter-gatherers' major food source. In response, the hardy descendants of Paleo Indians enhanced the tools of the ancients and developed many new ones ...
How long did the Paleo Indians live?
Paleo Indian Way of Life. The Paleo period, which spanned 12,000 – 10,000 B.C. as estimated by the National Park Service, was an ongoing test of survival. Paleo Indians spent their days hunting for and fleeing from towering beasts that are now extinct.
What did the Archaic people tend?
In the late Archaic people began to tend plants, albeit to a limited degree. In Northern America, Archaic peoples east of the Mississippi River focused on pigweed and related species, while groups in Mesoamerica worked with wild varieties of corn (maize) and those in South America worked with wild potato species.
What is the ancient American Indian culture?
Archaic culture, any of the ancient cultures of North or South America that developed from Paleo-Indian ...
What tools did the Archaic people use?
Archaic peoples also created a number of tools not seen before in the Americas. Their use of new food sources and creation of new tool types probably developed in tandem, with innovationsin each realm fostering additional developments in the other. Basketry and netting augmented the collection and storage of new plant foods, while grinding stones made hard seeds readily edible. Hunting was augmented with the development of tanged and side-notched projectile points (although lanceolate points persisted), atlatlweights, birding and small game nets, and fishhooks. As a more reliable subsistence base allowed the congregation of larger groups, people became more sedentary and social complexity increased.
What are the characteristics of an archaic culture?
Southwest began at about the same time but persisted well into the 19th century. The primary characteristic of Archaic cultures is a change in subsistence and lifestyle ; their Paleo-Indian predecessors were highly nomadic, specialized hunters and gatherers who relied on a few species of wild plants and game, but Archaic peoples lived in larger groups, were sedentary for part of the year, and partook of a highly varied diet that eventually included some cultivatedfoods. In these ways, Archaic cultures in the Americas are somewhat analogousto the Old World’s Mesolithiccultures.
What were the food resources of the Archaic people?
Archaic peoples used a wide variety of food resources and based many of their choices on seasonal availability; food remains found at their archaeological sites include a range of mammals (including rabbits, antelope, deer, elk, moose, and bison), terrestrial and water birds, fish and shellfish, and plant foods such as tubers, roots, seeds, fruits, and nuts.
What is an archaic culture?
Archaic culture, any of the ancient cultures of North or South America that developed from Paleo-Indian traditions and led to the adoption of agriculture. Archaic cultures are defined by a group of common characteristics rather than a particular time period or location; in Mesoamerica, Archaic cultures existed ...
Where did the pre-Columbian civilizations originate?
pre-Columbian civilizations, the aboriginal American Indian cultures that evolved in Mesoamerica (part of Mexico and Central America) and the Andean region (western South America) prior to Spanish exploration and conquest in the 16th century. The pre-Columbian civilizations were extraordinary developments in human society and culture, ranking with the early civilizations…
Why did the Archaic Indians move around?
Nevertheless, groups of Archaic Indians still moved around in search of seasonal foods, and sources of stone for making tools. Archaeologists believe that Archaic Indians, who traveled in "bands" which are groups ...
How many people did the Archaic Indians meet?
Archaeologists believe that Archaic Indians, who traveled in "bands" which are groups of twenty-five to fifty people, met with other bands in designated places during certain times in the year. It is believed that they would socialize, share food, and even trade stone tools at these "meetings".
What were the animals that the Archaic Indians hunted?
Examples of the smaller game that Archaic Indians hunted are white-tailed deer, black bear, rabbit, and turkey. Also, Archaic Indians began catching fish, turtles, and birds.
What is the difference between Paleo and Archaic?
In fact, the word "archaic" means "old", while the word "Paleo" comes from a word meaning "very old". Even though the Archaic period closely followed the Paleo period, the cultures and lifestyles of these two Native American groups are quite different. The difference in the lifestyles and cultures is mostly due to the changes ...
What was the start of the late archaic period?
Late Archaic Period. 4000 B.C. marked the start of the late Archaic period. During the late Archaic period, territories shrunk even more, because many late Archaic Indians built more permanent settlements. Even though permanent settlements had appeared earlier, they were well established by the Late Archaic Period.
How many animals did Paleoindians kill?
In only 300 years they numbered 100,000, spread two thousand miles south, and killed over ninety million 1000-pound animals. In this scenario, Paleoindians were able to reach Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America, and hunt megafauna to their doom.
What were hooks made of?
During the Middle Archaic period, Indians began adding hooks, which are made from animal bones, on to the ends of spears. The hooks were weighted in the middle with polished stones, so hunters could now throw the weighted spears longer distances.
What did the Archaic people make?
The Archaic People made tools out of stone, bone and wood. They made clothing from the hides of animals, and wove plant fibers into baskets, mats, and robes. Most foods were boiled in water-tight baskets. Dropping red-hot rocks in the basket would quickly bring the water to a boil.
How did the Archaic people build their houses?
They built their houses by cutting small sapling trees of about six inches in diameter, which were then placed upright in the ground in a circular pattern. The trees were bent inward until they met at the top.
What weapons did the Archaic people use?
Archaic Period Hunter Using An Atlatl. Archaic Projectile Points from Cannon County, Tennessee. Archaic hunters used a spear-throwing weapon called an atlatl. This was a grooved wooden handle from three to six feet long.
What animals were found in the Archaic period?
The change in climate allowed forests to grow in many areas, including Tennessee. Smaller game animals such as bear, deer, rabbit, wild turkey, and others thrived in the new environment. Forests also produced edible nuts, fruits, roots, berries, and other plants.
Where were the ancient villages located?
Archaic villages were usually located next to a river or creek. Fish and shellfish harvested from the rivers and streams were an important food source. Many villages were inhabited for long periods, sometimes hundreds of years. The people threw the remains of their shellfish meals onto piles along the river or creek banks. Over the years these mounds of shell could grow to cover several hundred square feet. Several large shell mounds still exist along the Cumberland River in the vicinity of Nashville.
Where is the Archaic period house located?
The illustration below is a reconstruction drawing of an Archaic Period house excavated at a site in southern Middle Tennessee. Archaic Period House (from The Bailey Site, Charles Bentz, Jr.)
