Spring Lake Prehistory
The Prehistoric period in Central Texas is divided into three major temporal stages: the Paleoindian, Archaic, and Late Prehistoric. The Paleoindian stage begins with the earliest known human occupation of North America and extends to approximately 8800 B.P. The Archaic stage follows, extending from ca. 8800 B.P. to 1250 B.P. The Late Prehistoric stage begins ca. 1250 B.P. and is characterized by the development of bow and arrow and ceramic technologies.
Materials from each of these time periods have been discovered during excavations in and around Spring Lake. This provides evidence for a remarkable depth of human occupation in the area, making the Spring Lake complex of archaeological sites one of the most consistently occupied places in Texas! Go back in time with us and learn more about the different time periods by clicking one below.
The Late Prehistoric Period at Spring Lake
From 1,270 to around 350 years ago.
The Archaic Period at Spring Lake
Dated between 8,800 and 1,270 years ago, the Archaic Period in Texas was a time of dynamic change in the types of artifacts and subsistence styles.
The Paleoindian Period at Spring Lake
The Paleoindian Period in Texas extended from approximately 13,000 years ago to 8,800 years ago.