The prehistoric overview is a brief summary of Native American cultural development in Pennsylvania.  This process begins over 16,000 years ago with the earliest inhabitants migrating into the New World during the Ice Age.   The process ends in Pennsylvania during the early 18th century when native populations are forced to leave due to the overwhelming intrusion of Europeans.  Between the times of their arrival and dispersal, there is a fascinating story of an incredible variety of developments in culture, which archaeologists define as a society’s way of life, passed from generation to generation.  It is important to remember that culture change, or evolution, is not simply a gradual increase in cultural and technological complexity with “man pulling himself up by his own boot straps.”  It is a series of changing adaptations in reaction to changing natural environments, increasing human population density, and influences from adjacent cultures. 

Pennsylvania is on the edge of several environmental zones and several cultural areas.  Bordered by the Canadian and New England boreal forest to the north, coastal environments to the east, and fertile valleys of the Piedmont zone to the south, the region is situated at the crossroads of the cultures that occupied these zones.  This results in a series of cultural adaptations and changes that make Pennsylvania archaeology both complicated and fascinating.

All of the information on prehistoric Native Americans in Pennsylvania comes from the scientific study of archaeology.  Archaeologists have divided Native American cultural evolution into at least five time periods – the Paleoindian, the Archaic, the Transitional, the Woodland and the Contact Periods.  The Archaic and the Woodland are further divided into Early, Middle and Late.  These generally correspond to changes in artifacts, and archaeologists believe that this means there were changes in the way in which people lived, acquired food, organized their families, and practiced their religious beliefs.  Archaeologists call this cultural evolution.  

 

CULTURAL PERIODS	OTHER DISTINCTIVE TRAITS
CONTACT (Susquehannocks and other historically recorded tribes) 1550 A.D. - 1780 A.D.	This was a period of cultural transition, fragmentation and eventual collapse. Europeans moved into Pennsylvania and essentially displaced Native American cultures. Native made objects were replaced by European equivalents such as iron axes, brass kettles and glass beads. Extensive warfare occurred for control of the fur trade and land acquisition
LATE WOODLAND (Late Prehistoric) 800 A.D. - 1550 A.D.	Horticulture was practiced across the state and, by the end of this period, most groups practiced agriculture and lived in permanent stockaded villages. Native Americans organized into tribes. Numerous pottery shapes and designs were used along with elaborate clay smoking pipes. Stone celts were common and the bow and arrow developed as the main mode of weaponry.
EARLY AND MIDDLE WOODLAND (Adena and regional equivalents) (Hopewell and regional equivalents) 1200 B.C. - 800 A.D.	Horticulture began in western Pennsylvania and hamlets became more common. Ceremonialism and wide spread trade continued from the early Woodland period. A variety of cord marked, stamped and net marked pottery styles emerged. In eastern Pennsylvania, this period is poorly known, but permanent occupations seem to be more common. Semi-permanent settlements began during this period. Fired clay pottery was introduced from the south along with stone gorgets and tube-shaped smoking pipes. Trade was widespread and in western Pennsylvania, burial mounds, burial ceremonialism and larger semi-permanent villages developed.
TRANSITIONAL (Terminal Archaic) 1200 B.C. - 1800 B.C.	A climatic change resulted in less precipitation and Native Americans focused their activities on floodplains. New tools were developed to adapt to this environment, including soapstone bowls and broad bladed spear points reworked into a variety of knives, drills, and scrapers. The first evidence of extensive trade is found in the form of highly desired stone used for making tools.
ARCHAIC 1800 B.C. - 8000 B.C.	Hunters and gatherers used a variety of special tools such as axes, atlatl (spear thrower) weights, grinding stones, stone drills and a diversity of stone spear point styles. They hunted and fished, and collected plant foods in an emerging deciduous forest. Native American groups continued to migrate through a cycle of seasonal rounds but territories became smaller compared to Paleoindian times. The population gradually increased during this period.
PALEOINDIAN 8000 B.C. - 14,000 B.C.	Paleoindians were highly nomadic foragers in a late glacial/early modern environment. They hunted, fished and collected a variety of animal and plant foods. In the northern parts of the state, their annual migration route covered hundreds of miles. The most distinctive artifact is the fluted spear point. Scrapers were used for working hides and making wooden and bone tools.