Californian Cultures and the Concept of an Archaic Stage

Abstract

Western archaeologists have almost unanimously shunned the term “Archaic” in describing their finds. In the few cases where the word has been used at all, it has generally been qualified by using quotation marks, a question mark, or some statement indicating the author’s belief that this is not arealArchaic culture. As a result, none of the described western cultures is conventionally labeled “Archaic.” Avoidance of the term has stemmed from two conditions:a)a desire to avoid confusing western cultures with those generally called Archaic in the East; andb)the temporal implications of the word “Archaic.”