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 ()Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, obsidian and pyrite points, IztapanArchaic ()Agricultural settlements, TehuacánPreclassic (Formative) (2000 BCE–)The start of states. The first large scale ceremonial architecture, development of cities. (Olmecs; Unknown culture in La Blanca and Ujuxte, Monte Alto culture)Early PreclassicOlmec area: San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan; Central Mexico: Chalcatzingo; Valley of Oaxaca: San José Mogote. The Maya area: Nakbe, Cerros2000–1000 BCEMiddle PreclassicOlmec area: La Venta, Tres Zapotes; Maya area: El Mirador, Izapa, Lamanai, Xunantunich, Naj Tunich, Takalik Abaj, Kaminaljuyú, Uaxactun; Valley of Oaxaca: Monte Albán1000–400 BCELate PreclassicMaya area: Uaxactun, Tikal, Edzná, Cival, San Bartolo, Altar de Sacrificios, Piedras Negras, Ceibal, Rio Azul; Central Mexico: Teotihuacan; Gulf Coast: Epi-Olmec culture400 BCE–200 CEClassic (200–900 CE) Height of the nation-states. (Classic Maya centers, Teotihuacan, Zapotecs)Early ClassicMaya area: Calakmul, Caracol, Chunchucmil, Copán, Naranjo, Palenque, Quiriguá, Tikal, Uaxactun, Yaxha; Teotihuacan apogee; Zapotec apogee.200–600 CELate ClassicMaya area: Uxmal, Toniná, Cobá, Waka', Pusilhá, Xultún, Dos Pilas, Cancuen, Aguateca; Central Mexico: Xochicalco, Cacaxtla, Cholula; Gulf Coast: El Tajín and Classic Veracruz culture600–900 CETerminal ClassicMaya area: Puuc sites – Uxmal, Labna, Sayil, Kabah800–900/1000 CEPostclassic (900–1519 CE)Collapse of many of the great nations and cities of the Classic Era. Formation of new kingdoms and empires. (Aztec, Toltec, Purépecha, Mixtec, Totonac, Pipil, Itzá, Kowoj, K'iche', Kaqchikel, Poqomam, Mam)Early Postclassic Tula, Mitla, Tulum, Topoxte, Chichen Itza 900–1200 CELate Postclassic Tenochtitlan, Cempoala, Tzintzuntzan, Mayapán, Ti'ho, Utatlán, Iximche, Mixco Viejo, Zaculeu 1200–1519 CEPost Conquest (Until 1697 CE)Central Peten: Tayasal, Zacpeten
See also Historiography Periodisation of Mesoamerican history List of archaeological periods (Belize) List of archaeological periods (North America) List of archaeological periods (Peru) List of archaeological periods – worldwide List of pre-Columbian cultures – Americas
Other History of the Americas Genetic history of indigenous peoples of the Americas Archaeology of the Americas Archaeogenetics
References