What tools and technologies did Indigenous peoples of the Americas use before European contact?

Before European contact, Indigenous peoples across the Americas developed a sophisticated array of tools and technologies tailored to their diverse environments. Because the Americas lacked large animals suitable for draft labor, technologies reliant on heavy traction, such as the plow, were not used. Instead, societies developed efficient agricultural systems, including slash-and-burn agriculture and complex irrigation and terracing techniques to support dense populations.1

Key technological developments included:

• Stone and Bone Implements: Indigenous groups utilized advanced stone-working techniques, including pressure flaking, to create knives, axes, and projectile points. Bone, antler, and wood were also fashioned into tools for processing hides and woodworking.234
• Hunting and Fishing: Essential tools included the spear-thrower (atlatl), harpoons, and the bow and arrow.5
• Transportation: Watercraft were highly specialized, ranging from birchbark canoes and dugout canoes to skin-covered kayaks and umiaks used in the Arctic. Snowshoes were also essential for winter travel in northern regions.674
• Material Culture: Indigenous peoples mastered basketry, pottery, and cordage production. In the Great Lakes region, the Old Copper culture cold-hammered native copper into various implements.52