Right from the beginning of the anthropology during the 19th century, have tried to classify cultures of the world in a meaningful way by that would help explain a wide range of behaviour patterns. Therefore the anthropologists classified the cultures into four different categories which were: 

• PASTORALISM. 
• HORTICULTURE.
• FORAGING.
• INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE. 

1. PASTORALISM: Living made by the people by tending herds of large         animals in a subsistence pattern. the species of animals are domesticated herbivorously. Some of the animals the pastoralist herd are horses, sheep, goat and even camels depending on which region they belong to. there are two kinds of pastoralism. 

* Transhumance pastoralism and 

* Pastoral nomads. 

In transhumance pastoralism they migrate in a cyclic pattern. This is a kind of seasonal migration between the same two location in which they have permanent houses etc. They depend less on domestic food than the nomadic pastoralism. Whereas in pastoral nomads they also follow a seasonal migratory pattern that varies from year to year.they do not have permanent settlements but rather they live in tents and dwellings. they are self sufficient when it comes to food as well. 

Pastoralist societies are mainly male dominated and the division of labour is based on gender and age. 

2. HORTICULTURE: It is a small scale, low intensity farming which involves part time planting and tending of domesticated food plants. Their farming subsistence is based on hunting and gathering mostly. Horticulture is practiced successfully in tropical forest areas in tropical forest areas in the Amazon basin and on the mountain slopes of in south and central America and as well as in Africa.they have a shifting pattern of field use where they use slash and burn process. The population density is more than foraging and pastoralist. They are hence more productive. They aren't only engaged in farming but also in selling goods in the local market.their method of cultivation is very simple where no large beats or machines are used but are all done by hand. They have no proper irrigation facilities as well. 

3. FORAGING: Foragers generally have a passive dependence on what the environment contains. it is the most ancient of human subsistence pattern. We see that they do not plant crops and the only animal they domesticate is dog. They  usually depend on their muscle power to carry out task or works. they don have much choices regarding occupation. Men are engaged with hunting whereas women gather. Most foraging societies do not have permanent year round settlements. They live in tents, small dwellings,brush huts etc. There dwelling depends on availability of water and food. the migration is limited as they travel on foot. Foraging population density is relatively low as compared to other subsistence pattern. Activities depend on gender and age. The anthropologist have also identified three major variation under foraging subsistence pattern, and they are:

1. Pedestrian (diversified hunting and gathering on foot)

2. Equestrian (hunting large mammals on horseback)

3. Aquatic. (concentrating on fish and other water mammals from boats)

4. INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE: It is the primary subsistence pattern of large scale, populous societies. Here, in this pattern more food is produced compared to other subsistence patterns. they started to gain importance as the human population started to grow. They are provided with all the resources needed for farming or agricultural purposes. They have permanent settlements. More and new jobs are approved in their societies.