Apex complex is a cultural tradition of the Middle
Archaic period. Apex complex artifacts, dated from about 3000 to 500 BC, first appeared in the
Magic Mountain site near Apex Creek in Colorado.
The Irwins, archaeologists at Magic Mountain, believe that the artifacts are from ancestors of
Puebloan people
The Puebloans or Pueblo peoples, are Native Americans in the Southwestern United States who share common agricultural, material, and religious practices. Currently 100 pueblos are actively inhabited, among which Taos, San Ildefonso, Acoma, Z ...
of the
American southwest
The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado ...
. The cultural complex is distinguished by its Apex projectile points, which were noted for the increase in their frequency as one starts from the bottom to the top zone of the Magic Mountain site. Discovered tools also included scrapers, choppers, and leaf-shaped
bifaces
A hand axe (or handaxe or Acheulean hand axe) is a prehistoric stone tool with two faces that is the longest-used tool in human history, yet there is no academic consensus on what they were used for. It is made from stone, usually flint or cher ...
, which may have been used as knives.
Evidence of a few grave sites suggest that burials were conducted near their living areas, covered with stones and milling slabs.
[Gunnerson, pp. 33-34.] The functions and implications of the excavated artifacts, particularly the projectile points, are still not clearly understood.
It is also noted that the characteristics of the projectiles reflect a parallel technological developments found in
San Jose and northern
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
.
See also
*
List of prehistoric sites in Colorado
This list of prehistoric sites in Colorado includes historical and archaeological sites of humans from their earliest times in Colorado to just before the Colorado historic period, which ranges from about 12,000 BC to AD 19th century. The Perio ...
*
Outline of Colorado prehistory
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the prehistoric people of Colorado, which covers the period of when Native Americans lived in Colorado prior to contact with the DomĂnguez–Escalante expedition in 177 ...
*
Prehistory of Colorado
Prehistory of Colorado provides an overview of the activities that occurred prior to Colorado's recorded history. Colorado experienced cataclysmic geological events over billions of years, which shaped the land and resulted in diverse ecosystems. ...
References
Bibliography
* Gunnerson, James H. (1987)
''Archaeology of the High Plains.''Denver: United States Forest Service.
Archaic period in North America
Archaeology of the United States
Archaeological cultures of North America
Hunter-gatherers of the United States
Native American history of Colorado
Pre-Columbian cultures
Prehistoric cultures in Colorado
30th-century BC establishments
5th-century BC disestablishments
{{PreColumbian-stub