Mesoamerican chronology

Looking at the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica one can see some rather different periods between the first humans and the early Colonial period (which followed the Spanish colonization of the Americas) in the end.

Paleo-Indian period

The Paleo-Indian (not so often Lithic) period or era begins with the first signs of human presence in the region and leads to agriculture and other practices (e.g. pottery, permanent settlements) characteristic of proto-civilizations. In Mesoamerica, the end of this phase was about 8,000 BC. It was a period of hunter-gatherers.

Archaic Era

c. 8,000 BCE - 2,000 BCE

In this time agriculture and permanent villages developed in the region. Late in this era, people used pottery and started weaving with a loom.

Preclassic Era or Formative Period

c. 2,000 BCE - 200 CE

Nation-states developed and with them the first large scale ceremonial architecture and cities. That were the Olmec civilization, the early Zapotec, Monte Alto Culture in Guatemala's Pacifc lowlands, and Maya civilization.

Classic Era

c. mid 2nd century - early 10th century

Teotihuacan grows to a metropolis and its empire dominates Mesoamerica. During this time the cities of the Maya southern lowlands, such as Tikal, Palenque, and Copán have their greatest era. The Classic Era ended earlier in Central Mexico, with the fall of Teotihuacan around the 7th century, than it did in the Maya area, which continued for centuries more. Around this time, many southern lowland sites (most notably in Tikal) experienced a short period of limited decline, called the Middle Classic Hiatus. The later period of Maya's continued growth is sometimes known as the Florescent Era.

Postclassic Era

10th century - 16th century.

Many of the great nations and cities of the Classic Era collapsed, but some continue, such as in Oaxaca, Cholula, and the Maya of Yucatán, such as at Chichen Itza and Uxmal. This is sometimes seen as a period of increased chaos and warfare. The Toltec dominated central Mexico in the 11th - 13th century, then collapsed. The northern Maya are for a time united under Mayapan. The Aztec Empire rises in the early 15th century and seems on the path to gain a dominance over the whole region not seen since Teotihuacan, when Mesoamerica is discovered by Spain and conquered by the Conquistadores. Arguably, the Post-Classic continued until the conquest of the last independent native state of Mesoamerica, Tayasal, in 1697.

Mesoamerican Chronology Media

• Aztec calendar (Sunstone).png

  Aztec Calendar (Sunstone) reproduction

• Olmec Green Stone Mask with Traces of Cinnabar.jpg

  State of Guerrero, Upper Preclassic, 10cm. Olmec and Gulf Coast Gallery, INAH, National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City. Complete indexed photo collection at WorldHistoryPics.com.

• La Venta Pirámide cara sur.jpg

  South face of the pyramid in La venta, Mexico

• Yacimiento arquelogico de Yarumela.jpg

  Gradas de la piramide 102 de el Chilca en Yarumela.

• CPN Rosalila 01.jpg

  Recreation of Temple Rosalila at the Museum of Maya Sculpture, Honduras

• Parque Tikal Guatemala 2019.jpg

  Parque Tikal Guatemala 2019

• Templo Mayor in Mexico-Tenochtitlan 16th century (illustration 1900).jpg

  Recreation of Tenochtitlan by Diego Rivera.

• Zona Arqueológica de Tlatelolco, TlatelolcoTV 7.jpg

  Archaeological zone of Tlatelolco, the Church on the ruins exemplifies the process of change from the post-classic period to the colonial period.

• Vasija capacha.jpg

  Vessel from the Capacha culture, found in Acatitan, Colima.

• Formative Era sites.svg

  Several of the most prominent Formative Period sites in the central Mexican plateau and Gulf Coast regions.

Bibliography

• Duverger, Christian (1999): Mesoamérica, arte y antropología. CONACULTA-Landucci Editores. Paris. ISBN 970-18-3751-7.
• Miller, Mary Ellen. (2001). El arte de mesoamérica. "Colecciones El mundo del arte". Ediciones Destino. Barcelona, España. ISBN 84-233-3095-8.
• Several Authors. (1996) "Historia General de Guatemala" ISBN 84-88622-06-6.

Other websites

• Mesoweb Research Center
• FAMSI, Foundation for Mesoamerican Study
• European Mayanist
• The Mirador Basin Project
• Guatemala Cradle of the Maya Civilization Archived 2007-07-18 at the Wayback Machine