Native American prehistory—Great Basin
Native American prehistory in the Great Basin, covering parts of present-day Oregon, California, Nevada, and Utah, is marked by the adaptation of Indigenous peoples to a challenging environment. Archaeological evidence indicates that this region was occupied by humans as early as 26,000 years ago, although more widely accepted dates for consistent human presence range from 9,500 to 9,000 years ago, particularly linked to the Clovis culture. Key archaeological sites, such as Tule Springs in Nevada and Fort Rock Cave in Oregon, showcase the lifestyles and survival strategies of these early inhabitants.
These prehistoric groups often lived in small, nomadic bands, foraging for plants and animals in the diverse landscapes of the Great Basin. In more resource-rich areas, permanent village life emerged, lasting for thousands of years. The interactions between different groups were common, as evidenced by sophisticated trade networks and a variety of artifacts, including tools, baskets, and pottery. Overall, the Great Basin's prehistory highlights the resilience and ingenuity of Native American cultures in adapting to one of the most demanding environments in North America.
Native American prehistory—Great Basin
Date: c. 9500 b.c.e.-c. 1800 c.e.
Location: Central and southern Oregon, eastern California, Nevada, Utah
Cultures affected: Bannock, Gosiute, Kawaiisu, Mono, Paiute, Shoshone, Ute, Walapai, Washoe
In the Great Basin, which included portions of present-day central and southern Oregon, eastern California, Nevada, and much of Utah, prehistoric Native Americans confronted the most rigorous environment they encountered anywhere. The region’s prehistorical importance, therefore, stems from archaeological evidence that indicates the adaptations made by the ancestors of more than a dozen major tribes to this difficult environment. Archaeological discoveries at Tule Springs, Nevada, suggest that parts of the Great Basin may have been occupied by Pleistocene peoples by 26,000 b.c.e., while other findings in south-central Oregon suggest human occupancy by 11,200 b.c.e. These dates are highly controversial, however; uncontroverted evidence places earliest human occupancy of the region at between 9500 b.c.e. and 9000 b.c.e., particularly evidence of the presence of Clovis, whom archaeologists now believe to have been widespread in the Great Basin as well as the rest of the West by those dates.
Major archaeological discoveries, among a number confirming this, are located at the C. W. Harris site in San Diego, California; Gypsum Cave and Fallon, Nevada; Fort Rock Cave, Oregon; Death Valley, Owens Lake, and Tulare Lake, California; and Danger Cave, Deadman, Promontory, and Black Rock caves in Utah. Throughout most of the Great Basin, early peoples formed small nomadic groups that foraged for lake plants and animals. In environmentally favored sections of the Basin, village life developed and lasted for several millennia. Contacts among regional groups appear to have been frequent, and trade was sophisticated. Artifacts from throughout the Great Basin include a rich variety of projectile points, knives, scrapers, milling stones, coiled basketry, cloths, moccasins, jars, and appliqued pottery.