Early Desert Archaic

expand_more Description

The Early Desert Archaic tradition extends from 10,000–8000 BP in the eastern Great Basin and the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, southwestern Colorado, and southeastern Utah). The people were nomadic hunters and gatherers traveling in small groups to exploit seasonally available animals and plants, including small seeds as seen by the presence of flat milling stones and hand stones. Camp sites are represented by fire hearths, lithics, and the occasionally preserved faunal remains. Cave sites were sometimes used for shelter and provide evidence of an extensive perishable artifact assemblage.

Identifier

Region

• North America

Subregion

• Southwest and Basin

Subsistence Type

• hunter-gatherers

Countries

• United States