List of archaeological periods (Mesoamerica)

The chronology of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica is usually divided into the following eras:

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

Tabular list

Paleo-Indian (10,000 BCE–3500 BCE)	Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, obsidian and pyrite points, Iztapan
Archaic (3500 BCE–1800 BCE)	Agricultural settlements, Tehuacán
Preclassic (Formative) (2000 BCE–250 CE)	The start of nation-states. The first large scale ceremonial architecture, development of cities. (Unknown culture in La Blanca and Ujuxte, Monte Alto culture)	Early Preclassic	Olmec area: San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan; Central Mexico: Chalcatzingo; Valley of Oaxaca: San José Mogote. The Maya area: Nakbe, Cerros	2000 BCE–1000 BCE
		Middle Preclassic	Olmec area: La Venta, Tres Zapotes; Maya area: El Mirador, Izapa, Lamanai, Xunantunich, Naj Tunich, Takalik Abaj, Kaminaljuyú, Uaxactun; Valley of Oaxaca: Monte Albán	1000 BCE–400 BCE
		Late Preclassic	Maya area: Uaxactun, Tikal, Edzná, Cival, San Bartolo, Altar de Sacrificios, Piedras Negras, Ceibal, Rio Azul; Central Mexico: Teotihuacan; Gulf Coast: Epi-Olmec culture	400 BCE–200 CE
Classic (200 CE–900 CE)	Height of the nation-states. (Classic Maya Centers, Teotihuacan, Zapote)	Early Classic	Maya area: Calakmul, Caracol, Chunchucmil, Copán, Naranjo, Palenque, Quiriguá, Tikal, Uaxactun, Yaxha; Teotihuacan apogee; Zapotec apogee.	200 CE–600 CE
		Late Classic	Maya area: Uxmal, Toniná, Cobá, Waka', Pusilhá, Xultún, Dos Pilas, Cancuen, Aguateca; Central Mexico: Xochicalco, Cacaxtla, Cholula; Gulf Coast: El Tajín and Classic Veracruz culture	600 CE–900 CE
		Terminal Classic	Maya area: Puuc sites - Uxmal, Labna, Sayil, Kabah	800 CE–900/1000 CE
Postclassic (900 CE–1519 CE)	Collapse of many of the great nations and cities of the Classic Era (Aztec, Purépecha, Mixtec, Totonac, Pipil, Itzá, Kowoj, K'iche', Kaqchikel, Poqomam, Mam)	Early Postclassic	Tula, Mitla, Tulum, Topoxte,	900 CE–1200 CE
		Late Postclassic	Tenochtitlan, Cempoala, Tzintzuntzan, Mayapán, Ti'ho, Utatlán, Iximche, Mixco Viejo, Zaculeu	1200 CE–1519 CE
Post Conquest (Until 1697 CE)	Central Peten: Tayasal, Zacpeten

References

• Gordon R. Willey and Philip Phillips (1957). Method and Theory in American Archaeology. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-89888-1.

See also

• Archaeogenetics
• Archaeology of the Americas
• History of the Americas
• Genetic history of indigenous peoples of the Americas
• List of archaeological periods - parent page
• List of archaeological periods (North America)
• List of pre-Columbian cultures
• Mesoamerican chronology