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Indian Tribes and Languages of the Great Basin

Great Basin Culture Area

This is an index to the Native American language and cultural information on our website pertaining to Great Basin Indian tribes.

Tribes and Languages of the Great Basin Culture Group

The Great Basin culture area is located in what is now Nevada and Utah, western Colorado and Wyoming, southern Idaho, southeastern Oregon, and parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Montana. Today, all of these tribes continue to live in the Great Basin region, particularly in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and eastern California. However, many of the Great Basin languages, particularly in California, are endangered or near extinction. To learn more about a Great Basin tribe and their native language, click on one of the following links:

Ute Tribe

See also our new Shoshone, Bannock, Paiute, and Ute Facts for Kids pages!

Recommended books about Native American tribes of the Great Basin:

Prehistoric Lifeways in the Great Basin Wetlands: Archaeology book about ancient Indian history in the Great Basin area.

The Great Basin Indians: Daily Life in the 1700's: Illustrated kids' book on the Native American tribes of the Great Basin.

Indians of the Plateau and Great Basin: Another good book on Great Basin tribes for kids, with lots of illustrations.

Indian Basketmakers of California and the Great Basin: Book on the basketry art of Great Basin Indians.

Stone Age Spear and Arrow Points of the Great Basin: Illustrated guide to Great Basin arrowheads and other artifacts.

Handbook of North American Indians: Great Basin: Detailed ethnography of the Great Basin Indian tribes.

Sage Smoke: Collection of legends from the Shoshone and Bannock Indians.

Other resources about American Indian history, society, and customs in the Great Basin region:

Indians of the Great Basin: A series of articles on the early Native American peoples of the Great Basin.
Great Basin Culture Area: Overview of Great Basin Native American culture, with museum photographs.
Native Peoples of North America: Great Basin: Essay on Great Basin Indian history during the Paleo-Indian, Archaic, and Contact periods.
Map of the Great Basin Culture Area: Detailed map of the various tribes and bands of the Great Basin region.
Great Basin Tribes: Encyclopedia article on the Indian tribes of the Great Basin, with photos and maps.
Clothing Styles of the Great Basin and Plateau: Sketches of traditional clothing styles used by the Great Basin Native Americans.

Back to the Native American Culture Groups
Back to the master list of Indian tribes of the United States
Back to North American Indians for kids

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