|
Mesoamerica |
Andean Region | ||
| Paleo-Indian 30,000-8,000 BCE -"stone age" |
-highly mobile hunting and gathering groups in pursuit of large game | Paleo-Indian 30,000-8000 BCE | |
| Archaic 8000-2000 BCE -hunters & gatherers |
-disappearance of large game leads to switch to small game, gathering, fishing, and beginnings of agriculture and village life | Preceramic 8000-2000 BCE | |
| Formative or Pre-classic 2000-200 BCE -improvements in agriculture, culture, and social structures |
Valdivia (3500-1700 BCE) -early ceramics -fertility figurines |
Initial Period 2000-800 BCE | |
| Olmec (2000-400 BCE) -beginnings of hieroglyphic writing & calendrics -monolithic stone heads |
Chavín (800-200 BCE) -developments in art, ceramics, weavings -feline cult |
Early Horizon 800-200 BCE -ideological expansion | |
| Classic 200 BCE - 1000 CE -emergence of cities, social stratification -flowering of material culture |
Maya (300-900 CE) -high developments in astrology, calendrics, math, writing Monte Albán (300-900
CE) |
Paracas (200 BCE -
600 CE) -weaving & mummy bundles Nazca (200 BCE - 600
CE) Moche (200 BCE -
600 CE) |
Early Intermediate
Period 200 BCE - 600 CE -regional diversity |
| Teotihuacán (450-750 CE) -large urban center -Pyramids of the Sun and Moon (theocratic) |
Huari (600-800 CE) -rise of large urban cities & empires Tiwanaku (600-1000 CE) |
Middle Horizon 600-1000 CE -commercial expansion | |
| Post-classic 1000-1492 CE -Urban, stratified, militarized, imperialistic -no important technological advances |
Toltecs (950-1150 CE) -formation of militaristic empires, wars, invasions -population increase & pressure Cholula, Tarascan, Texcoco |
Chimú (1000-1476 CE) -very large city at Chan-chan with panaqa burial compounds Chanca, Colla, Cañari, Pachacamac, Chincha |
Late Intermediate
Period 1000-1438 CE -regional diversity |
| Mexicas (Aztecs)
(1345-1521 CE) -militaristic tribute empire |
Tawantinsuyu (Inka)
(1200-1532 CE) -sophisticated and very efficient organizational and administrative structures |
Late Horizon 1438-1532 CE -political & military expansion | |