# List of archaeological periods (North America)

Periods in North American prehistory :
Lithic stage before 8500 BCArchaic period 8000–1000 BCFormative stage 1000 BC – AD 500Woodland period 1000 BC – AD 1000Classic stageAD 500–1200Post-Classic stage after 1200
See also
List of archaeological periods (Mesoamerica) :
vte :
North American archaeological periods divides the history of pre-Columbian North America into a number of named successive eras or periods, from the earliest-known human habitation through to the early Colonial period which followed the European colonization of the Americas.

## Stage classification

One of the most enduring classifications of archaeological periods and cultures was established in Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips' 1958 book, Method and Theory in American Archaeology. They divided the archaeological record in the Americas into five phases, only three of which applied to North America. The use of these divisions has diminished in most of North America due to the development of local classifications with more elaborate breakdowns of times.
    1. The Paleo-Indians stage and/or Lithic stage
    2. The Archaic stage
    3. Formative stage or Post-archaic stage – at this point, the North American classifications system differs from the rest of the Americas.
For more details on the five major stages, still used in Mesoamerican archaeology, see Mesoamerican chronology and Archaeology of the Americas.

## Table of archaeological periods North America

| Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Clovis culture | Clovis culture | c. 11,500 – 10,800 BCE |
| Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Western Fluted Point tradition | Western Fluted Point tradition | c. 11,200 – 9000 BCE, California |
| Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Post Pattern | Post Pattern | c. 11,000 – 7000 BCE, NW California |
| Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Folsom tradition | Folsom tradition | c. 10800 – 10200 BCE |
| Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (18,000 – 8000 BCE) | Dalton tradition | Dalton tradition | c. 8500 – 7900 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Early Archaic 8000 – 6000 BCE | Plano cultures | 9,000 – 5,000 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Early Archaic 8000 – 6000 BCE | Paleo-Arctic tradition | 8000 – 5000 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Early Archaic 8000 – 6000 BCE | Maritime Archaic | |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Early Archaic 8000 – 6000 BCE | Red Paint People | 3000 – 1000 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Middle Archaic 6000 – 3000 BCE | Chihuahua tradition | c. 6000 BCE – c. 250 CE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Middle Archaic 6000 – 3000 BCE | Watson Brake and Lower Mississippi Valley sites | c. 3500 – 2800 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Late Archaic 3000 – 1000 BCE | Arctic Small Tool tradition | 2500 – 800 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Late Archaic 3000 – 1000 BCE | Aleutian tradition | 2500 – 1800 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Time Period | Late Archaic 3000 – 1000 BCE | Poverty Point culture | 2200 – 700 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Great Basin | Desert Archaic | |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Great Basin | Middle Archaic | |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Great Basin | Late Archaic | |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Great Lakes | Old Copper complex | c. 4000 – c. 1000 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Great Lakes | Red Ochre people | c. 1000 – 100 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Great Lakes | Glacial Kame culture | c. 8000 – 1000 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Great Plains | Plains Archaic | c. 9500 – 5500 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Mesoamerica | Mexican Archaic | |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southwest: Southwestern Archaic Traditions | Archaic – Early Basketmaker Era | c. 7000 – c. 1500 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southwest: Southwestern Archaic Traditions | San Dieguito–Pinto tradition | c. 6500 BCE – c. 200 CE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southwest: Southwestern Archaic Traditions | Chihuahua (Southeastern) tradition | c. 6000 BCE – c. 250 CE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southwest: Southwestern Archaic Traditions | Oshara (Northern) tradition | c. 5500 BCE – c. 600 CE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southwest: Southwestern Archaic Traditions | Cochise tradition | 5000 – 200 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | California | Millingstone Horizon (or Encinitas tradition) | c. 5500 – 1500 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | California | Intermediate Horizon (or Campbell tradition) | c. 1500 BCE – 1000 CE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southeast | Mount Taylor period | 5000 – 2000 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southeast | Stallings Island (St. Simons) culture | 2500 – 1000 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southeast | Thoms Creek culture | 2500 – 1000 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southeast | Poverty Point culture | 2200 – 700 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southeast | Elliott's Point complex | 2000 – 700 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southeast | Norwood culture | 2000 – 500 BCE |
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 – 1000 BCE) | by Location | Southeast | Orange culture | 2000 – 500 BCE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in North | Norton tradition | Choris Stage | c. 1000 – 500 BCE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in North | Norton tradition | Norton | 500 BCE – 800 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in North | Norton tradition | Ipiutak Stage | 1 CE – 800 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in North | Dorset culture | Dorset culture | 500 BCE – 1500 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in North | Thule people | Thule people | 200 BCE – 1600 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | on Great Plains | Plains Woodland | Plains Woodland | c. 500 BCE – 1000 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | on Great Plains | Plains Village | Plains Village | c. 1000 – 1780 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by Pecos Classification | Early Basketmaker II Era | Early Basketmaker II Era | 1500 BCE – 50 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by Pecos Classification | Late Basketmaker II Era | Late Basketmaker II Era | 50 CE – 500 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by Pecos Classification | Basketmaker III Era | Basketmaker III Era | 500 CE – 750 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by Pecos Classification | Pueblo I Era | Pueblo I Era | 750 CE – 900 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by Pecos Classification | Pueblo II Era | Pueblo II Era | 900 CE – 1150 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by Pecos Classification | Pueblo III Era | Pueblo III Era | 1150 CE – 1350 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by Pecos Classification | Pueblo IV Era | Pueblo IV Era | 1350 CE – 1600 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by Pecos Classification | Pueblo V Era | Pueblo V Era | 1600 CE – present |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by peoples | Ancestral Puebloans (formerly Anasazi) | Ancestral Puebloans (formerly Anasazi) | 1 CE – 1300 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by peoples | Hohokam | Hohokam | 200 CE – 1450 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by peoples | Fremont | Fremont | 400 CE – 1350 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by peoples | Patayan | Patayan | 700 CE – 1550 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Southwest and by peoples | Mogollon | Mogollon | 700 CE – 1400 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Early Woodland Period 1000 BCE – 1 CE | Adena culture | 1000 – 100 BCE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Early Woodland Period 1000 BCE – 1 CE | Deptford culture – Atlantic region | 800 BCE – 700 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Early Woodland Period 1000 BCE – 1 CE | Deptford culture – Gulf region | 500 BCE – 200 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Point Peninsula complex (a Hopewellian culture) | 600 BCE – 700 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Laurel complex (a Hopewellian culture) | 300 BCE – 1100 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Hopewell culture | 200 BCE – 500 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Havana Hopewell culture (a Hopewellian culture) | 200 BCE to 400 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Goodall focus (a Hopewellian culture) | 200 BCE to 500 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Saugeen complex (a Hopewellian culture) | 200 BCE to 500 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Kansas City Hopewell (a Hopewellian culture) | 100 BCE – 700 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Armstrong culture (a Hopewellian culture) | 1 – 500 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Swift Creek culture (a Hopewellian culture) | 100 – 800 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Santa Rosa-Swift Creek culture (a Hopewellian culture) | 100 – 300 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Marksville culture (a Hopewellian culture) | 100 BCE – 400 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Fourche Maline culture | 300 BCE to 800 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Middle Woodland Period 1 – 500 | Copena culture (a Hopewellian culture) | 1 – 500 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Late Woodland Period 500–1000 | Baytown culture | 300–700 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Late Woodland Period 500–1000 | Plum Bayou culture | 400–900 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Late Woodland Period 500–1000 | Troyville culture | 300–700 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Late Woodland Period 500–1000 | Coles Creek culture | 700 – 1100 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Mississippian culture 900–1500 (ending with European contact) | Early Mississippian culture | 1000 – 1200 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Mississippian culture 900–1500 (ending with European contact) | Middle Mississippian culture | 1200 – 1400 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Mississippian culture 900–1500 (ending with European contact) | Late Mississippian culture | 1400 – 1500 CE (or European contact) |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Fort Ancient (a non-Mississippian culture) | Fort Ancient (a non-Mississippian culture) | 1000 – 1550 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in East and by peoples | Oneota | Oneota | 900 – 1650 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Belle Glade culture | Belle Glade culture | 1050 BCE – European contact |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Glades culture | Glades culture | 550 BCE – European contact |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Manasota culture | Manasota culture | 550 BCE – 800 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | St. Johns culture | St. Johns culture | 550 BCE – European contact |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Caloosahatchee culture | Caloosahatchee culture | 500 BCE – European contact |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Weeden Island culture 100–1000 CE | Weeden Island I, including | 100–750 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Weeden Island culture 100–1000 CE | – Cades Pond culture | 100–600 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Weeden Island culture 100–1000 CE | – Kolomaki culture | 350–750 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Weeden Island culture 100–1000 CE | – McKeithen Weeden Island culture | 200–750 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Weeden Island culture 100–1000 CE | Weeden Island II, including | 750–1000 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Weeden Island culture 100–1000 CE | – Wakulla culture | 750–1000 CE |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Alachua culture | Alachua culture | 600 – European contact |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Suwannee Valley culture | Suwannee Valley culture | 750 – European contact |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Safety Harbor culture | Safety Harbor culture | 800 – European contact |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Fort Walton culture a Mississippian culture | Fort Walton culture a Mississippian culture | 1000 – European contact |
| Post-archaic period, (incorporating Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages) (1000 BCE – present) | in Florida and adjacent parts of Alabama and Georgia, by culture | Pensacola culture | Pensacola culture | 1250 – European contact |

## Culture, phase, and chronological table for the Mississippi Valley

| Lower Mississippi periods | Lower Yazoo phases | Lower Yazoo dates | Tensas/Natchez phases | Cahokia Phases | Cahokia dates | Ohio/Miss. River Confluence phases | Ohio/Miss. dates |
| Historic | Russell (Tunica) | 1650–1750 CE | Tensas / Natchez | Vacant Quarter | 1350 CE - European Contact | Jackson | 1500-1650 CE |
| Plaquemine Mississippian culture Late Plaquemine/Mississippian Middle Plaquemine/Mississippian Early Plaquemine/Mississippian | Wasp Lake | 1400-1650 CE | Transylvania / Emerald | Vacant Quarter | 1350 CE - European Contact | Jackson | 1500-1650 CE |
| Plaquemine Mississippian culture Late Plaquemine/Mississippian Middle Plaquemine/Mississippian Early Plaquemine/Mississippian | Lake George | 1300-1400 CE | Fitzhugh / Foster | Sand Prairie | 1275-1350 CE | Medley Phase | 1300-1500 CE |
| Plaquemine Mississippian culture Late Plaquemine/Mississippian Middle Plaquemine/Mississippian Early Plaquemine/Mississippian | Winterville | 1200-1300 CE | Routh / Anna | Moorehead | 1200-1275 CE | Dorena | 1100-1300 CE |
| Transitional Coles Creek | Crippen Point | 1050-1200 CE | Preston / Gordon | Lohmann Sterling | 1050-1200 CE | Dorena | 1100-1300 CE |
| Coles Creek culture Late Coles Creek Middle Coles Creek Early Coles Creek | Kings Crossing | 950-1050 CE | Balmoral | Terminal Late Woodland | 900–1050 CE | James Bayou | 900-1100 CE |
| Coles Creek culture Late Coles Creek Middle Coles Creek Early Coles Creek | Aden | 800-950 CE | Ballina | Terminal Late Woodland | 900–1050 CE | James Bayou | 900-1100 CE |
| Coles Creek culture Late Coles Creek Middle Coles Creek Early Coles Creek | Bayland | 600-800 CE | Sundown | Late Woodland | 400–900 CE | Cane Hills Berkley | 600–900 CE 400–600 CE |
| Baytown/Troyville Baytown 2 Baytown 1 | Deasonville | 500-600 CE | Marsden | Late Woodland | 400–900 CE | Cane Hills Berkley | 600–900 CE 400–600 CE |
| Baytown/Troyville Baytown 2 Baytown 1 | Little Sunflower | 400-500 CE | Indian Bayou | Late Woodland | 400–900 CE | Cane Hills Berkley | 600–900 CE 400–600 CE |
| Marksville culture Late Marksville Early Marksville | Issaquena | 200-400 CE | Issaquena | Middle Woodland | 200 BCE - 400 CE | La Plant Burkett | 100 BCE-400 CE 550-100 BCE |
| Marksville culture Late Marksville Early Marksville | Anderson Landing | 1-200 CE | Point Lake/ Grand Gulf | Middle Woodland | 200 BCE - 400 CE | La Plant Burkett | 100 BCE-400 CE 550-100 BCE |
| Tchefuncte culture | Tuscola | 400 BCE-1 CE | Panther Lake | Middle Woodland | 200 BCE - 400 CE | La Plant Burkett | 100 BCE-400 CE 550-100 BCE |
| Jaketown | Poverty Point | 700- 400 BCE | Frasier | Early Woodland | 700-200 BCE | O'Bryan Ridge | 700-550 BCE |
| - | Poverty Point | 1000-700 BCE | - | Late Archaic | 1000 - 200 BCE | O'Bryan Ridge | 700-550 BCE |