List of archaeological periods (Mesoamerica)
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The chronology of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica is usually divided into the following eras:
Contents |
[edit] Five Stage Classification
One of the most enduring classifications of archaeological periods & cultures was established in Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips' 1958 book Method and Theory in American Archaeology. They divided the archaeological record in the Americas into 5 phases. These are:
- The Lithic stage
- The Archaic stage
- The Formative stage
- The Classic stage
- The Post-Classic stage
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
[edit] Tabular list
| Paleo Indians (Lithic stage) (20000 BCE - 8000 BCE) |
A period of hunter gatherers. | ||
| Archaic period, (Archaic stage) (8000 BCE - 2000 BCE) |
The development of agriculture in the region. Permanent villages established. Late in this era, use of pottery and loom weaving becomes common. |
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| Pre-Classic period (or Formative period) (1000 BCE - 500 CE) |
The start of nation-states. The first large scale ceremonial architecture, development of cities. | Olmec | |
| Zapotec | |||
| Maya | |||
| Classic period (500 CE - 1200 CE) |
Height of the nation-states. | Olmec | 500 CE - 600 CE |
| Zapotec | |||
| Maya | |||
| Post-Classic period (1200 CE - 1600 CE) |
Collapse of many of the great nations and cities of the Classic Era | ||
| Toltec | 1000 CE - 1200 CE | ||
[edit] References
- Gordon R. Willey and Philip Phillips (1957). Method and Theory in American Archaeology. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-89888-1.
