Traditions Covered

In the online eHRAF Archaeology database the mostly prehistoric cultures included are organized by regions (e.g. North America), subregions (e.g. Southwest) and subsistence types (e.g. hunter-gatherers). Every year, five archaeological traditions with approximately 10,000 pages are added to eHRAF Archaeology.

The table below gives an overview of the types of traditions currently included in eHRAF Archaeology and can be sorted by the following functions: culture name, region, subregions, subsistence and sample types.

All collected, analyzed and indexed archaeological documents (e.g., books, journal articles, monographs) for a prehistoric culture can be found in the Collection Documents tab in the Browse Traditions section of the eHRAF Archaeology database. The archaeological documents are also searchable in the eHRAF Basic or Advanced Search.

Information about how subsistence types are classified for the cultures in the eHRAF Archaeology database scroll down to the bottom of the page.

OWCTradition NameRegionSUBREGIONSUBSISTENCE TYPESRSBEGIN DATE BPEND DATE BPDOCS
AB80YayoiAsiaEast Asiaintensive agriculturalistsYes2500150028
AF40North China Upper PaleolithicAsiaEast Asiahunter-gatherers40000850024
AF45Yellow River Early NeolithicAsiaEast Asiahunter-gatherers to food producers8500620019
AF48Middle-Upper Yellow River Middle NeolithicAsiaEast Asiahorticulturalists7000500013
AF50DawenkouAsiaEast AsiahorticulturalistsYes630045006
AF51Yellow River Late NeolithicAsiaEast Asiahorticulture to intensive agriculture5000390023
AF52Yellow River Bronze AgeAsiaEast Asiaintensive agriculturalists390030468
AF70Southeast China Early NeolithicAsiaEast Asiaprimarily hunter-gatherersYes9000550013
AJ50Eastern Central Asia Neolithic and Bronze AgeAsiaCentral Asiaagro-pastoralistsYes600015005
AQ30South Asian Upper PaleolithicAsiaSoutheast Asiahunter-gatherers40000700013
AQ40Indus NeolithicAsiaSouth Asiahunter-gatherers to food producersYes900068008
AQ43Early IndusAsiaSouth Asiaintensive agriculturalists7500460023
AQ45Mature IndusAsiaSouth Asiaintensive agriculturalists4600390030
AQ47VedicAsiaSouth Asiaintensive agriculturalists3900250010
AQ50Ganges NeolithicAsiaSouth Asiaother subsistence combinationsYes400025009
AQ63Central Indian NeolithicAsiaSouth Asiaother subsistence combinationsYes5000310013
AQ73South Indian ChalcolithicAsiaSouth Asiaother subsistence combinations4500270021
E050Bell BeakerEuropeGeneral Europeintensive agriculturalistsYes450038008
E051Impressed WareEuropeGeneral Europeprimarily hunter-gatherersYes6800600037
E065Northeastern European Bronze AgeEuropeEastern Europeother subsistence combinations390027506
E075Southeastern Europe Late ChalcolithicEuropeSoutheastern Europeagro-pastoralistsYes5500450037
E087Scandinavian Iron AgeEuropeScandinaviaother subsistence combinationsYes2500150019
FA75West African Iron AgeAfricaWestern Africaother subsistence combinationsYes2500120016
FX50WiltonAfricaSouthern Africahunter-gatherersYes1000020005
M050Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene MaghrebAfricaNorthern Africahunter-gatherersYes20000750012
M080EpipaleolithicMiddle EastMiddle Easthunter-gatherers400001050054
M084Aceramic NeolithicMiddle EastMiddle Easthunter-gatherers to food producers10500750024
M086HalafianMiddle EastMiddle Eastagro-pastoralistsYes7500700023
M087Ceramic NeolithicMiddle EastMiddle Easthorticulturalists8000610031
MA50Iranian Bronze AgeMiddle EastMiddle Eastagro-pastoralistsYes500035006
MA51Scythian-SarmatianAsiaCentral AsiapastoralistsYes400017005
MH55UbaidMiddle EastMiddle Eastagro-pastoralists7500600033
MH60Late Chalcolithic MesopotamiaMiddle EastMiddle Eastagro-pastoralists6000510030
MH62Jemdet NasrMiddle EastMiddle Eastagro-pastoralists5100490016
MH64Early Dynastic MesopotamiaMiddle EastMiddle Eastagro-pastoralistsYes4900433411
MH66AkkadianMiddle EastMiddle Eastagro-pastoralistsYes4334411247
MR45Middle Paleolithic EgyptAfricaNorthern Africahunter-gatherersYes230000450007
MR50Late Paleolithic EgyptAfricaNorthern Africahunter-gatherers45000700019
MR55Upper Egypt PredynasticAfricaNorthern Africaintensive agriculturalists7000500024
MR60Lower Egypt PredynasticAfricaNorthern Africaintensive agriculturalists7000500020
MR70Early Dynastic EgyptAfricaNorthern Africaintensive agriculturalists5000457553
MR80Protohistoric EgyptAfricaNorthern Africaintensive agriculturalists457535528
MS50Khartoum NeolithicAfricaNorthern Africaother subsistence combinationsYes570035504
N037Late Paleo-IndianNorth AmericaGeneral North Americahunter-gatherersYes11000600063
N050Eastern Arctic Small ToolNorth AmericaGeneral North Americahunter-gatherersYes4000270026
NA45Late TundraNorth AmericaArctic and Subarctichunter-gatherersYes8000600019
NA50NortonNorth AmericaArctic and Subarctichunter-gatherersYes3000100024
NC54Initial Shield WoodlandNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandshunter-gatherersYes30006009
ND50Proto-AthapaskansNorth AmericaArctic and Subarctichunter-gatherersYes200015031
ND60Paleo-ArcticNorth AmericaArctic and Subarctichunter-gatherersYes1100060007
NN45Eastern Early ArchaicNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandshunter-gatherers10000800010
NN50Eastern Middle ArchaicNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandshunter-gatherersYes8000600027
NN55Eastern Late ArchaicNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandsprimarily hunter-gatherers6000300022
NN60Eastern Early WoodlandNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandsprimarily hunter-gatherers3000210038
NN64Eastern Middle WoodlandNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandsprimarily hunter-gatherers2100130032
NN67Eastern Late WoodlandNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandsprimarily hunter-gatherers130050010
NP50AdenaNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandsprimarily hunter-gatherers2600190010
NP55HopewellNorth AmericaEastern WoodlandshorticulturalistsYes2100170066
NP60MississippianNorth AmericaEastern Woodlandshorticulturalists110050045
NR50CascadeNorth AmericaPlains and Plateauhunter-gatherersYes800050005
NS50Late Southern CaliforniaNorth AmericaNorthwest Coast and Californiahunter-gatherersYes300015019
NT50Early Desert ArchaicNorth AmericaSouthwest and Basinhunter-gatherers10000800030
NT55Middle-Late Desert ArchaicNorth AmericaSouthwest and Basinhunter-gatherers800015054
NT76HohokamNorth AmericaSouthwest and Basinintensive agriculturalistsYes2000500156
NT85MogollonNorth AmericaSouthwest and Basinhunter-gatherers to food producers200060040
NT93BasketmakerNorth AmericaSouthwest and Basinprimarily hunter-gatherers3000130012
NT95Early AnasaziNorth AmericaSouthwest and Basinhorticulturalists130070092
NT97Late AnasaziNorth AmericaSouthwest and Basinintensive agriculturalists70045014
NU75HuatabampoMiddle America and the CaribbeanNorthern Mexicoprimarily hunter-gatherersYes18005002
NU76West Mexico PostclassicMiddle America and the CaribbeanCentral Mexicointensive agriculturalistsYes110048014
NU92Central Mexico ClassicMiddle America and the CaribbeanCentral Mexicointensive agriculturalists2150135010
NU93Central Mexico PostclassicMiddle America and the CaribbeanCentral Mexicointensive agriculturalists130047949
NU95OlmecMiddle America and the CaribbeanCentral Mexicoother subsistence combinationsYes3400210040
NY30Early Mesoamerican ArchaicMiddle America and the CaribbeanGeneral Middle America and the Caribbeanhunter-gatherers9600700044
NY40Highland Mesoamerican ArchaicMiddle America and the CaribbeanGeneral Middle America and the Caribbeanhunter-gatherers7000400013
NY41Highland Mesoamerican Early PreclassicMiddle America and the CaribbeanGeneral Middle America and the Caribbeanhorticulturalists4000260011
NY42Highland Mesoamerican Late PreclassicMiddle America and the CaribbeanGeneral Middle America and the Caribbeanhorticulturalists2600160026
NY50Lowland Mesoamerican ArchaicMiddle America and the CaribbeanMaya Areaprimarily hunter-gatherers700038007
NY52Preclassic MayaMiddle America and the CaribbeanMaya Areahorticulturalists3800185062
NY53Classic MayaMiddle America and the CaribbeanMaya Areaintensive agriculturalistsYes2100110029
NY54Postclassic MayaMiddle America and the CaribbeanMaya Areahorticulturalists110040042
OJ50New Guinea NeolithicOceaniaMelanesiahorticulturalistsYes100001008
OU80TonganOceaniaPolynesiahorticulturalistsYes20002006
OV50HawaiianOceaniaPolynesiahorticulture to intensive agricultureYes8002005
RA55Eastern European MesolithicEuropeEastern Europehunter-gatherersYes1100065005
RL60Early NomadAsiaCentral AsiapastoralistsYes2800230035
RY64Tarya NeolithicAsiaNorth Asiahunter-gatherersYes400025003
S050Andean Regional DevelopmentSouth AmericaCentral Andesagro-pastoralistsYes2200130011
S051Late CaribbeanMiddle America and the CaribbeanCaribbeanintensive agriculturalistsYes100050011
S060Early Northwest South American LittoralSouth AmericaNorthwestern South Americaprimarily hunter-gatherersYes9000550010
SD50ManteñoSouth AmericaNorthwestern South AmericahorticulturalistsYes15005004
SE40Coastal Andean ArchaicSouth AmericaCentral Andeshunter-gatherers to food producers7000380011
SE41Coastal Andean Early FormativeSouth AmericaCentral Andeshorticulture to intensive agriculture3800300021
SE43Coastal Andean Late FormativeSouth AmericaCentral Andesintensive agriculturalists3000220019
SE47Highland Andean ArchaicSouth AmericaCentral Andeshunter-gatherers to food producers7000350013
SE48Highland Andean FormativeSouth AmericaCentral Andesagro-pastoralists350022007
SE49ChavínSouth AmericaCentral Andesagro-pastoralists2800220012
SE51NazcaSouth AmericaCentral Andesintensive agriculturalists2200120026
SE55MocheSouth AmericaCentral Andesother subsistence combinations1950120028
SE65HuariSouth AmericaCentral Andesagro-pastoralists120090023
SE70Andean Regional StatesSouth AmericaCentral Andesintensive agriculturalists90053016
SE75ChimuSouth AmericaCentral Andesintensive agriculturalistsYes110048040
SE80InkaSouth AmericaCentral Andesintensive agriculturalists80046823
SF45TiahuanacoSouth AmericaCentral Andesagro-pastoralists160090019
SF50Aymara KingdomsSouth AmericaCentral Andesagro-pastoralistsYes90053010
W130Early Paleo-IndianNew WorldNew Worldhunter-gatherers140001020086

 

 

Subsistence Classification

Hunter-gatherers — also called foragers; depend almost entirely (75% or more) on hunting, gathering, and fishing for subsistence

Hunter-gatherers to food producers — during the tradition the people began as hunter-gatherers and became dependent on food production (55% or more) by the end of the tradition. Food production includes combinations of hunting, gathering, fishing, pastoralism, horticulture, and intensive agriculture

Primarily hunter-gatherers — depend mostly on hunting, gathering and fishing (55% percent or more)

Horticulturalists — depend mostly (55% or more) on simple agriculture (extensive or horticulture). Horticulture frequently requires a long fallow period. This category includes any type of agriculture that is not primarily (55% or more) intensive.

Agro-pastoralists — not any of the above. Pastoralism and horticulture/intensive agriculture combined contribute at least 75% or more to the economy.

Pastoralists — depend mostly (55% or more) on herding or pastoralism

Horticulture to intensive agriculture — at the beginning of the tradition, people depended mostly (55% or more) on horticulture and by the end of the tradition they depended mostly (55% or more) on intensive agriculture.

Intensive agriculturalists — depend mostly (55% or more) on intensive agriculture. Intensive agriculture means a variety of techniques are used so that fields can be permanently cultivated. These techniques can include irrigation, terracing, crop rotation, plows, and/or some sort of agriculture.

Other subsistence combinations — includes other combinations of hunting, fishing, gathering, pastoralism, horticulture, and intensive agriculture

Not assigned — not enough information

 

 

Latest updated: July 6, 2021