Central American Indian

Central American and northern Andean cultures, c. 1982

Central American and northern Andean Indian, member of any of the aboriginal peoples inhabiting Central America (south from Guatemala) and the northern coast of South America, including the northern drainage of the Orinoco River; the West Indies are also customarily included. Although the area has meaning in terms of the distribution of indigenous cultures and languages, it does not coincide with any named region in a geographic sense, nor does it coincide with contemporary national political boundaries.

The area is situated entirely within the tropics, and the seasons are marked more by differences in precipitation than in temperature. Lowlands tend to be hot, but elevation tempers the climate on some of the islands and along the mountain ranges that run through Central America, Colombia, and Venezuela. Areas of heavy rainfall support dense forest, whereas a few dry regions support little more than sparse grass.

In archaeological terms, this area is of strategic significance for various reasons. First, as the relatively narrow corridor between the northern and southern continental landmasses, Central America is a promising area in the search for remains of ancient Native American culture. Second, an exceptionally rich and diverse variety of local cultures had evolved in the area by 500 bce. Third, between 1000 and 1500 ce the area was intermediate between the major centres of high civilization in Mexico and Peru.

In this region, unlike much of Latin America, most native cultures did not long survive the arrival of the Europeans, and there is controversy among anthropologists over whether many of the indigenous groups may, by reference to such criteria as language, patterns of beliefs and behaviour, or political affiliation, be justifiably designated tribes. Almost 200 “tribes” were reported in early Spanish documents, but descriptions of most are imprecise.

Native languages spoken in the area at the time of European conquest were many and varied. Although some historical and structural linkages can be traced with other groups in North and South America, individual languages reflect millennia of relative isolation (see South American Indian languages).