The Historical Dictionary of Ancient South America describes the indigenous peoples who lived in South America prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 1500s. It contains a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and more than 700 cross-referenced dictionary entries on names of sites, archaeological groups or cultures, architectural elements, deities, crops, famous archaeologists who have worked in South America, among other topics.

Ancient South America is the 21st in a series that includes Ancient Mesoamerica, Pre-Colonial Africa, Mesopotamia, and Early North America.