Plains Village period

On the west and east, Plains villagers were bounded by the geography and landscapes of the Rocky Mountains and the Eastern Woodlands, respectively.

Prior to the introduction of the horse and contact with Europeans and Africans, Plains Indians were mostly semi-sedentary; they typically farmed in villages and hunted bison from temporary camps.

Depending upon the region, their more permanent architecture included grass houses; stone-lined, semi-subterranean pit-houses; and earth lodges.

During the latter part of this time period, many more tribes from diverse language groups migrated into the Plains from both the east and the west.

A Northeastern Plains Village tradition has been found for the shores of Devils Lake and the lands near the James, Sheyenne, Maple, and Red Rivers in eastern North Dakota.