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.

## Contents

* 1 Cultural characteristics
* 2 Northern America
* 3 Caribbean
* 4 Mesoamerica
* 5 Isthmo-Colombian area
* 6 South America
* 7 See also
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## Cultural characteristics[edit]

Watson Brake, Louisiana, 3500 BC

Tikal, Guatemala, Maya civilization.

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.[1] 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)[1]

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[edit]

Main article: List of archaeological periods (North 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[edit]

Early South American cultures

* Ortoiroid people, c. 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, c. 1000—301 BC[3]
* Guanahatabey, Cuba, 1000 BC
* Saladoid culture, 500 BC—545 AD[2]
* Ostionoid culture, 600—1500 AD[2]
* Arawak people, c. 500–1500 AD[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[edit]

Main article: Mesoamerican chronology

In alphabetical order:

* Aztec, 1325–1521 AD, central Mexico
* 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
* Maya, 2600 BC–1697 AD, Mexican Southern states: Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche and Yucatán Peninsula; Central America: Belize; Guatemala; El Salvador; Honduras
* Mixe, 400–present
* Mixtec, unknown–1600 AD, western Oaxaca
* Olmec, 1500–400 BC, Veracruz and Tabasco
* 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[edit]

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

## South America[edit]

Period  | Dates  | Cultures

|
|

Ceramic
Late Horizon  | 1476 AD – 1534 AD  | Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia: Inca Empire; Brazil: Cambeba; Colombia: Muisca Confederation Argentina: Quilmes
Late Intermediate  | 1000 AD – 1476 AD  | Bolivia: Aymara nations; Colombia: Muisca, Nariño, Tairona; Ecuador: Los Huancavilca, Kingdom of Quito, Manteño, Nariño;
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: Quilmes
Middle Horizon  | 600 AD – 1000 AD  | Bolivia: Tiwanaku; Brazil: Marajoara culture; Colombia: Cauca culture, Herrera, Nariño, Quimbaya, Tairona; Ecuador: Cañari culture, Nariño; Peru: Chimu, Huari, Piura; Argentina: Quilmes
Early Intermediate  | 200 AD–600 AD  | Bolivia: Tiwanaku; Colombia: Herrera, 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), Herrera; 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, Chavín Toríl (The Cumbe Mayo aqueduct was built c. 1000 BC), Argentina: Tehuelches (?-1820)
Preceramic
Period VI  | 2500 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[edit]

* Indigenous peoples of the Americas portal

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

## References[edit]

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

6\. Pieroni, Agustín (2015). El Virreino y los Virreyes (in Spanish). Dunken. p. 126. ISBN 9789870281641.

## External links[edit]

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[Usurped!], Four Directions Institute

* v
* t
* e

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Pre-history|

* Paleo-Indians
* Pre-Columbian era
* Classification
* Archaeology
* Genetics
* Solutrean hypothesis

Mythology/Religion|

* Mythologies‎
* List of deities
* Native American religions

| North America|

* Arborglyph
* Great Spirit
* Fifth World
* Medicine man
* Medicine wheel
* The red road
* Totem pole

|

Mesoamerica|

| Common|

* Religion
* Cosmovision
* Creation
* World tree

|

Variations|

* Aztec
* Maya
* Olmec

South America|

* Inca
* Mapuche
* Muisca

Culture|

* Andes
* Colombia
* Ecuador
* Peru

| Art|

* Visual
* Painting
* Music
* Artists
* Writers

|

European
colonization|

* European colonization
* Population history
* Columbian exchange

Modern groups
by country|

| North America|

* Belize
* Canada
* Costa Rica
* Dominica
* El Salvador
* Greenland
* Guatemala
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Panama
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States

|

South America|

* Argentina
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Chile
* Colombia
* Ecuador
* Guyana
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Suriname
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Related topics|

* Ancestry
* Languages
* Movements
* Philosophy
* Studies

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

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
* Ancestral Puebloans
* Caddoan Mississippian
* Chichimeca
* Hopewell tradition
* Coles Creek
* Fremont
* Hohokam
* Marksville
* Mississippian
* Mogollon
* Plaquemine
* Plum Bayou
* Poverty Point
* Sinagua
* Troyville
* Weeden Island

Mesoamerica|

* Mesoamerican pre-Columbian chronology
* Acolhua
* Capacha
* Chalcatzingo
* Cholula
* Chupícuaro
* Diquis
* Coclé
* Epi-Olmec
* Huastec
* Izapa
* Mezcala
* Mixtec
* Olmecs
* Pipil
* Quelepa
* Shaft tomb tradition
* Teuchitlán
* Purépecha
* Tarascans
* Teotihuacan
* Tepanec
* Tlatilco
* Tlaxcaltec
* Toltec
* Totonac
* Veracruz
* Xochipala
* Zapotec

South America|

* Andean civilizations
* South American Indigenous people
* El Abra
* Aymara
* Cañaris
* Caral-Supe
* Chachapoya
* Chancay
* Chavín
* Chimú
* Chinchorro
* Chiripa
* Cultures of Pre-Columbian Colombia
* Cultures Pre-Columbian Ecuador
* Cultural periods of Peru
* Gran Chaco
* Hydraulic culture of mounds (Bolivia)
* Las Vegas
* Lima
* La Tolita (Tumaco)
* Manteño-Huancavilca
* Mapuche
* Moche
* Mollo
* Monte Verde
* Nariño
* Nazca
* Piaroa
* Pucará
* Quimbaya
* San Agustín
* Shuar
* Sican
* Taíno
* Tairona
* Tierradentro
* Timoto–Cuica
* Tiwanaku
* Valdivia
* Wankarani
* Wari
* Zenú

| | Aztec| Maya| Muisca| Inca

|
|
|
|

Language|  Nahuatl|  Mayan languages|  Muysccubun|  Quechua
Writing|  Script|  Script|  Numerals|  Quipu
Religion|  Religion|  Religion|  Religion|  Religion
Mythology|  Mythology|  Mythology|  Mythology|  Mythology
Calendar|  Calendar|  Calendar|  Calendar|
Society|  Society|  Society|  Economy (Women)|  Society
Infrastructure|  Chinampas|  Architecture|  Architecture
Agriculture|  Architecture (road system)
Agriculture
History|  History|  History|  History|  Inca history
Neo-Inca State
People|  Moctezuma I
Moctezuma II
Cuitláhuac
Cuauhtémoc
|  Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal
Uaxaclajuun Ubʼaah Kʼawiil
Jasaw Chan Kʼawiil I|  Nemequene
Quemuenchatocha
Tisquesusa
Tundama
Zoratama|  Manco Cápac
Pachacuti
Atahualpa
Manco Inca Yupanqui
Túpac Amaru

Conquest|  Spanish conquest
(Hernán Cortés)|  Spanish conquest
Spanish conquest of Yucatán
(Francisco de Montejo)
Spanish conquest of Guatemala
(Pedro de Alvarado)|  Spanish conquest
(Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada)
(Hernán Pérez de Quesada)
(List of conquistadors)|  Spanish conquest
(Francisco Pizarro)

See also

* Aztecs
* Portal:Indigenous peoples of the Americas
* 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

Civilizations portal

* v
* t
* e

Pre-Columbian North America

Periods
Lithic
Archaic
Formative
Classic
Post-Classic

Archaeological
cultures|

* Adena
* Alachua
* Ancient Beringian
* Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi)
* Baytown
* Belle Glade
* Buttermilk Creek complex
* Caborn-Welborn
* Calf Creek
* Caloosahatchee
* Clovis
* Coles Creek
* Comondú
* Deptford
* Folsom
* Fort Ancient
* Fort Walton
* Fremont
* Glacial Kame
* Glades
* Hohokam
* Hopewell
* List of Hopewell sites
* La Jolla
* Las Palmas
* Leon-Jefferson
* Maritime Archaic
* Mississippian
* List of Mississippian sites
* Mogollon
* Monongahela
* Old Cordilleran
* Oneota
* Paleo-Arctic
* Paleo-Indians
* Patayan
* Plano
* Plaquemine
* Poverty Point
* Red Ocher
* Safety Harbor culture
* Santa Rosa-Swift Creek
* St. Johns
* Steed-Kisker
* Tchefuncte
* Troyville
* Weeden Island

Archaeological
sites|

* Angel Mounds
* Anzick Clovis burial
* Bandelier National Monument
* Bastian
* Benson
* Blue Spring Shelter
* The Bluff Point Stoneworks
* Brewster
* Cahokia
* Candelaria Cave
* Casa Grande
* Chaco Canyon
* Coso Rock Art District
* Crystal River Archaeological State Park
* Cuarenta Casas
* Cueva de la Olla
* Eaker
* El Fin del Mundo
* El Vallecito
* Effigy Mounds National Monument
* Etowah Indian Mounds
* Eva
* Folsom site
* Fort Ancient
* Fort Center
* Fort Juelson
* Four Mounds
* Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
* Glenwood
* Grimes Point
* Holly Bluff site
* Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
* Horr's Island
* Huápoca
* Key Marco
* Kimball Village
* Kincaid Mounds
* Kolomoki Mounds
* Lake Jackson Mounds
* L'Anse aux Meadows
* Lynch Quarry Site
* Marksville
* Marmes Rockshelter
* Meadowcroft Rockshelter
* Mesa Verde
* Moaning Cavern
* Moorehead Circle
* Morrison Mounds
* Moundville
* Mummy Cave
* Nodena site
* Ocmulgee National Monument
* Old Stone Fort
* Orwell site
* Paquime
* Parkin Park
* Pinson Mounds
* Portsmouth Earthworks
* Poverty Point
* Pueblo Bonito
* Recapture Canyon
* Roberts Island complex
* Rock Eagle
* Rock Hawk
* Rosenstock Village Site
* Russell Cave National Monument
* Salmon Ruins
* Serpent Mound
* Sierra de San Francisco
* Spiro Mounds
* SunWatch
* Taos Pueblo
* Toltec Mounds
* Town Creek Indian Mound
* Turkey River Mounds
* Upward Sun River site
* Velda Mound
* West Oak Forest Earthlodge
* Wickiup Hill
* Windover
* Winterville
* Wupatki National Monument

Human
remains|

* Anzick-1
* Arlington Springs Man
* Buhl Woman
* Kennewick Man
* La Brea Woman
* Leanderthal Lady
* Melbourne Man
* Minnesota Woman
* Peñon woman
* Spirit Cave mummy
* Vero man

Miscellaneous|

* Aridoamerica
* Black drink
* Ceremonial pipe
* Chanunpa
* Chunkey
* Clovis point
* Container Revolution
* Eastern Agricultural Complex
* Eden point
* Effigy mound
* Falcon dancer
* Folsom point
* Green Corn Ceremony
* Horned Serpent
* Kiva
* Medicine wheel
* Metallurgy
* Mi'kmaq hieroglyphic writing
* Mound Builders
* N.A.G.P.R.A.
* Norse colonization of North America
* Oasisamerica
* Piasa
* Projectile point
* Southeastern Ceremonial Complex
* Stickball
* Three Sisters agriculture
* Thunderbird
* Underwater panther
* Water glyphs

Related
Genetic history
Pre-Columbian era

* v
* t
* e

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
* Christopher Columbus
* Exploration
* European colonization
* Spanish colonization
* French colonization
* Portuguese colonization
* British colonization
* Columbian Exchange
* Decolonization

Societies|

* Paleo-Indians
* Pre-Columbian era
* Aztec
* Maya
* Muisca
* Inca

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

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template