The Ancient Americas

A building material made from earth and organic materials. Adobe. Historically, adobe has been used for thousands of years to construct homes and structures due to its durability and insulation properties.

A period of great cultural achievement for a civilization. Classic Period. The Classic Period is a time in history when civilizations like the Greeks or Maya reached high levels of cultural and intellectual development.

An agricultural technique for the non-irrigated cultivation of crops. Dry farming. Historically, dry farming allowed people to grow crops in regions with little rainfall by relying on soil moisture conservation techniques.

Element of writing in an agreed set of symbols. Glyph. A glyph is a symbol used in ancient writing systems to represent words or sounds.

A room used by Puebloans for rites and political meetings. Kiva. Kivas are round, often underground, structures used by Native American Puebloans for religious ceremonies and community gatherings.

A wider land connection between otherwise separate areas. Land bridge. In History, a land bridge is a natural connection between two landmasses that allowed early humans and animals to migrate across continents.

A cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico, maize. Maize is a staple crop that played a crucial role in the development of civilizations in the Americas.

A large house in the ground used for shelter. Pit house. A pit house is an ancient type of dwelling where part of it is dug into the ground for insulation and protection.

Communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern US. Pueblo. A pueblo is a type of settlement used by Native Americans, consisting of stone or adobe houses.

The offering of food, objects, or the lives of animals or humans to divine beings. Sacrifice is when people in the past gave up something valuable, like animals or crops, to please their gods or spirits.

A method of creating a field by cutting and burning of plants in a forest or woodland, slash and burn. In History, slash and burn is an ancient farming technique used to clear land for agriculture by cutting and burning vegetation.

A stone or wooden slab erected in the ancient world as a monument. Stela. In history, a stela is a carved or inscribed slab used to commemorate important events or figures.