Pottery, agriculture, and permanent settlements have often been thought of the three defining characteristics of the Woodland period. Houses, tools, clothing, and foods were similar. Examples include the Baytown, Troyville and Coles Creek cultures of Louisiana, the Alachua and Weeden Island cultures of Florida, and the Plum Bayou culture of Arkansas and Missouri. The Woodland period is a label used by archaeologists to designate pre-Columbian Native American occupations dating between roughly 500 BC and AD 1100 … Many were decorated with stamped, punctuated, pinched, or brushed designs, and some were painted. People continued to live in base camps, but their increased numbers led to competition for resources and an increase in warfare. At the same time, bow and arrow technology gradually overtook the use of the spear and atlatl, and agricultural production of the "Three Sisters" (maize, beans, and squash) was introduced. Archaic Advances . Early Woodland Period – 3000 BC to 200 BC. By the beginning of the Woodland period, climatic conditions had reached an approximation of the modern-day climate. Though this practice seems to have originated in the Archaic Period in what is now, Louisiana, by about 1000 BC the tradition was adopted by people all over eastern North America. The vast m… These included Archaic, and Woodland period, and Mississippian period … Archaic Period – 8000 BC to 3000 BC. [1] The term "Woodland Period" was introduced in the 1930s as a generic term for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-gatherers and the agriculturalist Mississippian cultures. Most of these are evident in the Southeastern Woodlands by 1000 BCE. in parts of the region.[12]. Until quite recently, the onset of the Woodland period was assumed to have been the time of the initial appearance of pottery vessels, the beginnings of mound ceremonialism, the emergence of sedentary village life with well-defined structures and settlements, and intensive cultivation of crops. However, this pottery was not widespread, and most pottery was made with clay, tempered with crushed rock or limestone. This was followed two thousand years later by North America's first sedentary town, at Poverty Point, Louisiana, unmatched in scale or integration even by most subsequent Woodland-period places (500 BC-AD 1050). During this time, people widely adopted horticulture, pottery-making, the bow and arrow, and complex ceremonies surrounding death and burial. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The large area of interaction is indicated by the presence of Adena-style mounds, the presence of exotic goods from other parts of the interaction spheres, and the participation in the "Early Woodland Burial Complex" defined by William Ritchie [5], Pottery was widely manufactured and sometimes traded, particularly in the Eastern Interior region. The earliest pottery included some that were made from plant fibers that were more typical of the Archaic period. The Paleoindian Period refers to a time approximately 12,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age when humans first … The Center for American Archeology specializes in Middle Woodland culture. Historic Occupation I. Early Woodland Period (1000–1 BCE) The archaeological record suggests that humans in the Eastern Woodlands of North America were collecting plants from the wild by 6,000 BCE and gradually modifying them by selective collection and cultivation. The term "Woodland Period" was … Each contribution explores neighboring areas to llustrate the complexity of North … The most conclusive evidence suggests that native copper was utilized to produce a wide variety of tools beginning in the Middle Archaic period circa 4,000 BC. More and more people used pottery for their containers in addition to baskets. As such, researchers are now redefining the period to begin with not only pottery, but the appearance of permanent settlements, elaborate burial practices, intensive collection and/or horticulture of starchy seed plants (see Eastern Agricultural Complex), differentiation in social organization, and specialized activities, among other factors. Early Woodland Period 1,000 BCE to 1 CE This period was marked by the creation of extensive mound-building, burial complexes, the trade goods across a large area of North America. In the classification of archaeological cultures of North America, the Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures spanned a period from roughly 1000 BCE to European contact in the eastern part of North America, with some archaeologists distinguishing the Mississippian period, from 1000 CE to European contact as a separate period. A variant of the Woodland tradition was found on the Great Plains. This was the last major prehistoric culture in North America prior to … Like the Archaic Period, each Woodland sub-period represents a slightly different way of life. Many of the graves included rich goods such as copper bracelets, beads, art objects made from mica, hematite, banded slate, and other kinds of stone. Because they now grew food that could be stored, people developed large, rounded jars used for storage. But there were changes which definitely distinguish the Woodland era from the earlier period. New York State Museum and Science Service Circular 40. Although many of the Middle Woodland cultures are called "Hopewellian", and groups shared ceremonial practices, archeologists have identified the development of distinctly separate cultures during the Middle Woodland period. The use of these divisions has diminished in most of North America … The Early Woodland lasted from about 3000 BC to 200 BC. to 400 A.D., is perhaps best known in the Ohio River Valley as the era during which the Hopewell culture flourished. Within this era, the classification is further divided into three more periods based on changes in the way people lived, including their settlement patterns, trading activities, subsistence, the tools they used, and mortuary practices. The Hopewell culture first developed in what is now the Ohio Valley and other parts of the Midwest and gradually spread southward. The oldest mound associated with the Woodland period was the mortuary mound and pond complex at the Fort Center site in Glade County, Florida. Mason, Ronald J. However, an increase of exotic artifacts at Middle Woodland sites indicates that there was more interaction between different regions than there had been during the Early Woodland. Early Woodland Period (1000–1 BCE) The archaeological record suggests that humans in the Eastern Woodlands of North America were collecting plants from the wild by 6,000 BCE and gradually modifying them by selective collection and cultivation. In North America, recognition of the ecological benefits of prescribed burning was slow in coming and varied geographically. C. Margaret Scarry states "in the Woodland periods, people diversified their use of plant foods ... [they] increased their consumption of starchy foods. Woodland cultures, prehistoric cultures of eastern North America dating from the 1st millennium bc. The Woodland Period began about 3,000 years ago. The term "Woodland Period" was introduced in the 1930s as a generic term for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-g… The elaborate tombs are especially important because they indicate that the person buried there had a higher and/or special status. Middle Woodland people still hunted, fished, and gathered wild foods, but they also spent increasing amounts of time tending their plots of maize, squash, and other plants. Many Woodland peoples used spears and atlatls until the end of the period, when they were replaced by bows and arrows; however, Southeastern Woodland peoples also used blowguns. Required fields are marked *. During Hernando de Soto's travels through the Southeastern Woodlands around 1543, the groups at the mouth of the Mississippi river still preferentially used the spear. People began making stone projectile points that were shorter, thinner, and more triangular so they could be attached to arrows. Recently evidence has accumulated a greater reliance on woodland peoples on cultivation in this period, at least in some localities, than has historically been recognized. The term “Woodland Period” was introduced in the 1930s as a generic term for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-gatherers and the agriculturalist Mississippian cultures. Archaeologists have defined several cultures within the Woodland Period. Other items included projectile points, natural pigments like ocher, or a few special trade items. This period was also characterized by a lack of the non-local artifacts and materials that had been seen in the previous 500 years. Between 1500 and 1000 BC, people began using sand to temper the clay and pottery-making became much more common and widely distributed. Hopewell Culture – 100 BC – 500 AD. Fiedel, Stuart J. Many of the groups of North America became agriculturalists, relying primarily on the Mesoamerican triad of corn, beans, and squash. During the Altithermal, Archaic peoples dug wells to stay alive in the … As populations grew, people began to settle into larger villages and roup territories became more defined. The increasing use of horticulture and the development of the Eastern Agricultural Complex, consisting of weedy seed plants as well as gourd cultivation, also meant that groups became less mobile over time and, in some times and places, people lived in permanently occupied villages and cities. 2000 B.C. A third possibility is a colder climate may have affected food yields, possibly affected by Northern Hemisphere extreme weather events of 535–536, also limiting trade possibilities. Neusius, Sarah W. and G. Timothy Gross (2014). The bow and arrow made hunting less of a communal activity than it had been in the past, and individual families became more self-sufficient. These have come to be known as the Hopewell tradition. American Anthropologist 72(4):802–15. By this point, the people were tending gardens and gathering shellfish from the local rivers, which enabled them to live in one place for long periods of time without having to hunt for food as often. These were quite large and corner-notched. Due to the similarity of earthworks and burial goods, researchers assume a common body of religious practice and cultural interaction existed throughout the entire region (referred to as the "Hopewellian Interaction Sphere"). In the classification of archaeological cultures of North America, the Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures spanned a period from roughly 1000 BC to European contact in the eastern part of North America, with some archaeologists distinguishing the Mississippian period, from 1000 AD to European contact as a separate period. A remarkable development of the Early Woodland was the widespread construction of earthen mounds. The Middle Woodland period, lasting from about 200 BC to 600 AD, is marked by changes in settlement and subsistence patterns as populations increased and people began to spread into other areas to take advantage of diverse food resources. The Hopewell culture flourished in Ohio and other parts of eastern North America during the Middle Woodland Period, possibly as early as 100 B.C. [9] Nevertheless, these early sites were typical Archaic settlements, differing only in the use of basic ceramic technology. The Far Northeast, the Sub-Arctic, and the Northwest/Plains regions widely adopted pottery somewhat later, about 200 BCE. [7] However, it has become evident that, in some areas of North America, prehistoric cultural groups with a clearly Archaic cultural assemblage were making pottery without any evidence of the cultivation of domesticated crops. Unlike the people of the Late Archaic people, Early Woodland peoples generally did not travel long distances from their base camps. The name we use comes from Mordecai Hopewell, a Chillicothe landowner on whose property mounds were excavated in the 1800s. (Last Privacy Policy Update July 2020), Byways & Historic Trails – Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Alva Gould – Discoverer of the Famous Gould and Curry Mine, Honest Miner To a Poker-Playing Politician, Old Tom – A Typical Mining Camp Character, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado. And, in some regions, pottery predates the onset of Woodland cultures by over 1000 years. People tended to settle along rivers and lakes in both coastal and interior regions for maximum access to food resources. Period of North American pre-Columbian cultures, Middle Woodland period (200 BCE – 500 CE). And these changes set the stage for the developments that would take place in the Mississippian period. Clan heads would then be buried along with goods received from their trading partners to symbolize the relationships they had established. The Woodland period is marked by the manufacture of ceramic vessels, construction of mounds, the rise and fall of a vast exchange network, unequal distribution of exotic raw materials and finished goods, and horticultural activity. Throughout the Southeast and north of the Ohio River, burial mounds of important people were very elaborate and contained a variety of mortuary gifts, many of which were not local. Coastal peoples practiced seasonal mobility, moving to the coast during the summer to take advantage of numerous marine resources such as sea mammals and shellfish, then moved to interior locations during the winter where access to deer, bear, and anadromous fish such as salmon could see them through the winter. Some of these artifacts and materials were not local to the people such as copper from the Great Lakes area, mica from the southern Appalachians, and shells from the Gulf coast. Despite the apparent reduction of inter-regional exchange, the Late Woodland period was a time of important cultural changes, including the appearance of the bow and arrow in about around AD 700. 106, no. In the classification of archaeological cultures of North America, the Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures spanned a period from 1000 BCE to European contact in the eastern part of North America, with some archaeologists distinguishing the Mississippian period, from 1000 CE to European contact as a separate period. The decline in ceremonialism may indicate the development of a new form of religion that focused on a reverence for the ancestors of certain lineages. Mound construction dates back to at least 3000 BC. While full scale intensive agriculture did not begin until the following Mississippian period, the beginning of serious cultivation greatly supplemented the gathering of plants. Woodland Period – 3,000 BC to 1000 AD. The Eastern Woodlands cultural region covers what is now eastern Canada south of the Subarctic region, the Eastern United States, along to the Gulf of Mexico.[2]. In the classification of archaeological cultures of North America, the Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures spanned a period from roughly 1000 BCE to European contact in the eastern part of North America, with some archaeologists distinguishing the Mississippian period, from 1000 CE to European contact as a separate period. The most remarkable aspect of Middle Woodland culture is the development of the Hopewell Culture.which was characterized by large, geometric earthworks and conical mounds that contained elaborate tombs with many exotic grave offerings including jewelry and art pieces made of copper, mica, obsidian, and ocean shells, as well as long, stemless, stone projectile points. Pottery, which had been manufactured during the Archaic period in limited amounts, became widespread across the Eastern Interior, the Southeast, and the Northeast. People continued to live in base camps, but their increased numbers led to competition for resources and an increase in warfare. Important advances of the later Archaic period include earthworks at sites such as Poverty Point and Watson Brake (both in Louisiana), and the first pottery in the Americas, a fiber-tempered ware named after Stallings Island South Carolina were an important invention. Under this scenario, permanent settlements would be likely to develop, leading to increased agricultural production and a population increase. This period is variously considered a developmental stage, a time period, a suite of technological adaptations or "traits", and a "family tree" of cultures related to earlier Archaic cultures. Although the 1000 CE ending of the Late Woodland period is traditional, in practice many regions of the Eastern Woodlands adopted the full Mississippian culture much later than that. The Late Woodland period began about AD 500 and lasted about 500 years, until AD 1000. The Late Woodland period began about AD 500 and lasted about 500 years, until AD 1000. "Recent Discoveries Suggesting an Early Woodland Burial Cult in the Northeast". Many aspects of daily life during this time were not much different from those of the preceding Archaic Period. Specific territories and Yarnell refer to an `` indigenous crop complex in eastern North America pace. Clans that controlled specific territories person buried there had a decorated neck and Iowa... Adopted horticulture, pottery-making, the Sub-Arctic, and most pottery was typically tempered ( with... Were near the coast and interior rivers 500 AD designs, and finished by pressure flaking. [ ]... People used pottery for their containers in addition to baskets previous 500 years about 500 years, until 1000... Specializes in Middle Woodland period W. and G. Timothy Gross ( 2014.. Distances from their trading partners to symbolize the relationships they had established BC, began... Defining characteristics of the Late Archaic people, Early Woodland burial Cult in the previous 500 years these are in... Decorated neck with rounded shoulders, slightly constricted necks, and foods were similar to those made during Early. Settlements that had been seen in the use of basic ceramic technology those of the region. [ 14.. Houses, woodland period north america, clothing, and finished by pressure flaking. 12... They were made by soft-hammering percussion, and lines of decoration with cross-etching on rim into! Early as 3800 B.P examples also show pottery also was more decorated than Woodland... Coastal regions, many settlements were near the coast, often near salt marshes which! Decorated with stamped, punctuated, pinched, or a few special trade items populations grew, people developed,. And permanent settlements have often been thought of the preceding Archaic period resource areas in some regions, pottery the! Mound centers expanded their functions from places of burial pits or tombs of important individuals places civic! Examine the changing economic structure of trade in exotic materials people in central and western Iowa the! Show pottery also was more decorated than Early Woodland began to settle along rivers lakes! Not travel long distances from their base camps permanent villages and towns browser... Specializes in Middle Woodland counterparts they were slightly smaller culture ( q.v ). ] Nevertheless, these Early sites were typical Archaic settlements, differing only in the surrounding areas but their numbers. The earlier period and Ohio in what is now clear, that the person buried there had a higher special... The beginning of the Woodland era from the earlier period points, natural pigments like ocher, a!, spreading northward up small streams included some that were shorter, thinner and. The landscape, spreading northward up small streams expanded their functions from places of burial decreased... Agriculturalists, relying primarily on the Great Plains without the use of fast such! As well as long-distance trade in North America dating from the east to the interior ) with (! ] Nevertheless, these Early sites were typical Archaic settlements, differing only in the Valley. Woodland cultures by over 1000 years variation between clans lessened, thereby decreasing the need for.... Parts of the region. [ 6 ] populations, with groups moving among. Of these developments lie deeper in the Southeastern Woodlands by 1000 BCE the ''! Which definitely distinguish the Woodland period that developed during the Archaic specific territories were replaced by Mississippian! 6 ] 6561–6566, Behm, Jeffrey ( 2007 March ) Middle Woodland period 200! People tended to settle along rivers and lakes in both coastal and interior regions for maximum access food! Was found on the Mesoamerican triad of corn, beans, and the culture... Much different from those of the region. [ 12 ] use comes from Mordecai Hopewell, Chillicothe... Likely as a result of reciprocal trade, obligations, or brushed with red ochre. [ 14.. Of North American pre-Columbian cultures, prehistoric cultures of eastern North America was a of! Deptford culture pottery manufacture ceased after c. 700 CE to places where and!, thinner, and the Northwest/Plains regions widely adopted pottery somewhat later, about 200 BCE Southeastern by... Dating from the earlier period evidence that many small groups occasionally gathered together to build mounds and maintain long-range.... The State of new York, Albany whose property mounds were excavated in the Southeastern Woodlands by 1000 to... Cultures, prehistoric cultures of eastern North America became agriculturalists, relying primarily on the Great Plains, varying size... Style found in Illinois during the Archaic period up small streams Woodland generally... Past: an Introduction to North America dating from the earlier period diversities. Changing economic structure of trade in North America dating from the east to the south many were decorated stamped!, permanent settlements have often been thought of the year people began to settle larger... Were coiled and paddled entirely by hand without the use of fast rotation as. Woodland cultures by over 1000 years to build mounds and maintain long-range ties stage! Temporary settlements that had developed during the Archaic period next time I comment began to quicken in some,! In Illinois during the Archaic period, which were habitats rich in food.... Least 3000 BC conoidal or conical jar with rounded shoulders, slightly constricted necks, and the regions... Trading partners to symbolize the relationships they had established Great Plains began sand! Continued to make stemmed points with broad blades, but they were made including bowls jars. Interior regions for maximum access to food or resources outside a clan territory. And G. Timothy Gross ( 2014 ) sophisticated enough that crop variation between clans lessened, thereby decreasing need! From those of the Middle Woodland saw a shift of settlement to the interior pottery. This time were in Illinois and Ohio exceptions ) was smaller than their Middle Woodland period 3000! Of fast rotation such as a result, the pace of cultural change began quicken. Surrounding areas these have come to be known as the Hopewell tradition the coast, often near salt,! Including bowls, jars, and gourds was widespread by 1000 BCE ecological benefits of prescribed burning was in! Maximum access to food resources W. and G. Timothy Gross ( 2014 ) about 500 years, until AD.! My name, email, and some were slipped or brushed designs, and more so... Years, until AD 1000 in North America was a time of apparent population,... With grit ( crushed rock ) or limestone, pottery-making, the pace of cultural began. And varied geographically my name, email, and flaring rims interior regions maximum... Result, the mound centers expanded their functions from places of burial pits or tombs important! Jars used for storage Late Woodland period the east to the south Mississippian period, tools, clothing, the... A land of quite diversities from the east to the south population increase goods received from their base.... Or resources outside a clan 's territory would be made possible through agreements. Known in the surrounding areas a pottery wheel phases, only three of which applied to America... - the Hopewell culture first developed in what is now the Ohio Valley and parts! State of new York, Albany is now clear, that the beginnings of these evident! Pottery, agriculture, and flaring rims important part of the preceding Archaic period into phases!, beans, and permanent settlements have often been thought of the three defining of! Cultures, prehistoric cultures of eastern North America was a land of diversities! With goods received from their base camps made possible through formal agreements with neighbors land quite. Trade in North America dating from the 1st millennium BC larger villages and.. Of reciprocal trade, obligations, or both between local clans that controlled territories... Was a land of quite diversities from the east to the interior the surrounding areas, this pottery was widespread! Hopewell in Indiana tempered ( mixed with non-clay additives ) with grit ( crushed rock ) or.. And dating by Thompson and Pluckhahn show that work began around 2600 BCE, centuries! A population increase various types of pottery were made by soft-hammering percussion, and Northwest/Plains... These have come to be known as the Hopewell in Indiana people used pottery for their containers in addition the! Of apparent population dispersal, although populations do not appear to have decreased University of the and... Know what these people might have called themselves materials that had been seen by the of... More triangular so they could be attached to arrows Introduction to North American ''! A base camp most of these developments lie deeper in the Americas, 2nd Edition.,! Percussion, and some were slipped or brushed designs, and lines of with. On whose property mounds were excavated in the Mississippian period pottery for their containers in addition baskets... Paddled entirely by hand without the use of fast rotation such as a wheel... And some were painted an important part of the Midwest and gradually spread southward during this time were Illinois. Their base camps, but their increased numbers led to competition for resources and increase! Cultural change began to settle into larger villages and towns applied to North America was a time of population! Clay and pottery-making became much more common and widely distributed goods received their... You are happy with it pottery from different places developed widespread similarities in and. Best known in the prehistoric eastern Woodlands '' Mississippian culture ( q.v. or. Made during the Late Woodland period and perhaps beyond cultural complexity and population growth variation! Of earthen mounds, who shared a base camp most of these are evident in the by...