Prehistoric People

Pit dwelling

A form of shelter dug in the Earth and roofed over

Fremont

A prehistoric tribe who lived in what is known as the Great Basin and who built pit houses

Anasazi/Ancestral Pueblo

A prehistoric tribe who lived in what is now southern Colorado and Utah and northern Arizona and New Mexico and who built cliff dwellings

Infer

An educated guess

Artifact

An object left behind by people in the past

Atlatl

Ancient spear throwing device

Prehistoric

Before there was a written record or written history

Culture

Beliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific group of people

Adaptation

Changes by a species to improve its chances for survival

Wickiups

Cone-shaped brush houses made of branches covered with mud, branches, and leaves

Nomadic

Moving around from place to place to find food and resources

Cliff dwellings

Multi-level houses formed in high cliffs using clay bricks and logs

Paleo Natives

Nomads who lived during the Ice Age in caves

Hunter-Gatherers

People who travel while hunting animals and gathering wild plants to survive

Archaic Desert Gatherers

Prehistoric tribe that evolved from Paleo-Natives; had atlatl, rope, crafts, and a more stable food source

Descendant

Someone who comes down from a common ancestor

Archaeology

The study of human history through the analysis of physical remains