Arctic Small Tool tradition

Arctic Small Tool tradition appears on the timeline as a people or culture of Arctic and Greenland (North America) from c. 2500 to 800 BCE, a span of 1,700 years. Its people spoke Eskimo-Aleut languages (Inuit, Yupik, Aleut, Thule, Dorset (Paleo-Eskimo)).

The first people to settle the eastern Arctic, spreading from Alaska to Greenland within a few centuries around 2500 BCE. They are known for tiny chipped stone blades and bow hunting.

See Arctic Small Tool tradition on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

c. 2500 to 800 BCE

Duration

1,700 years

Type

People or culture

Region

Arctic and Greenland, North America

Language family

Eskimo-Aleut

Became

• Pre-Dorset c. 2500 to 500 BCE
• Saqqaq culture c. 2500 to 800 BCE
• Independence I culture c. 2400 to 1800 BCE

Events in North America during its time

• 2500 BCE Paleo-Eskimos settle the eastern Arctic
• 2100 BCE Maize reaches the Southwest
• 1600 BCE Poverty Point earthworks built

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Minoan civilization c. 3100 to 1450 BCE, Europe
• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE, North and West Africa
• Shang dynasty c. 1600 to 1046 BCE, East Asia
• Old Kingdom of Egypt c. 2686 to 2181 BCE, North and West Africa
• New Kingdom of Egypt c. 1550 to 1069 BCE, North and West Africa
• Greek city-states c. 800 to 338 BCE, Europe
• Neo-Assyrian Empire 911 to 609 BCE, Middle East
• Old Babylonian Empire 1894 to 1595 BCE, Middle East
• Hittite Empire (New Kingdom) c. 1400 to 1180 BCE, Middle East
• Akkadian Empire c. 2334 to 2154 BCE, Middle East

Questions