It is reported that the New York State Indians, descendants of Asiatic immigrants, participated in leading cultural episodes of the eastern United States. Since their remains illustrate processes of cultural growth, the New York prehistoric cultures are described in terms of archaeological findings under 3 major stages of development: the Paleo-Indian stage, various Archaic cultures, and various Woodland cultures. In summary, it is noted (1) that the Paelo-Indian stage refers to the period of occupation by early hunters whose skeletal remains have never been found but whose scanty chipped stone implements occur on a few small sites in New York State is thinly scattered surface findings; (2) that, during the Archaic stage, groups of nonagricultural hunters, fishers, and gatherers of wild food inhabited most of the state; and (3) that some of their descendants became pottery users and later agriculturists during the Woodland stage, which lasted into historic times. (A related document is ED 032 985.) (AN)
