From K. Kris Hirst,
Your Guide to Archaeology.
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Definition: The Archaic period is the name given to generalized hunter-gatherer societies in the American continents from approximately 8,000 to 2000 years BC. Archaic lifestyles includes a dependence on elk, deer, and bison depending on where the site is, and a wide range of plant materials.

The term Archaic is quite broad, and covers an enormous area of North and South America. As a result, some regional archaic groups have been recognized such as the Shield Archaic of the Northern Canadian Shield, the Plains Archaic, for the Great Plains regions, and the Maritime Archaic of sites along the eastern coast.

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. During the Altithermal, Archaic peoples dug wells to stay alive in the high plains of west Texas and eastern New Mexico.

The most famous Archaic site is probably Kennewick, a site which had political ramifications concerning the repatriation movement, and addressed questions about ancient ethnicity.

Sources

Paleoindian and Archaic Burials Bibliography

Plains Archaic Bibliography

This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.

Examples: Kennewick (Washington state), L'anse Amour (Labrador), Stallings Island (Georgia), Poverty Point (Louisiana), Brook Run (Virginia), Windover Bog (Florida), Chilca, (Peru), Koster (Illinois) San Blas (Mexico), Boylston Street Fish Weir (Massachusetts).