Chronology of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica

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The chronology of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica is usually divided into the following epochs:

In the Paleo-Indian breakfast time the first colonization of the found Mesoamerican cultural area held by humans. During this time people lived mainly as hunters and gatherers .

The first forms of agriculture were developed in the archaic period . During this time, permanent settlement in villages came about for the first time ; towards the end of this period the use of pottery and simple looms appeared (cf. Mokaya culture ).

The pre-classical period (also known as the 'Formative Period') marked the beginning of the era of the formation of larger city-states and the first large-scale ceremonial architecture. This is characterized by the development of villages into cities, which in turn exercised regional power and influence. With the Olmecs , the first Mesoamerican civilization developed at this time on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico; it probably influenced sites in the central highlands (cf. Tlatilco culture ) as well as in the south of the country (cf. Izapa ). The Zapotec and Maya were also in the early stages of urban development.

During the Classical period , the central Mexican city of Teotihuacán grew into a metropolis; their empire ruled much of Mesoamerica. The classical period was also the most important period of the Mayan culture. The end of the Classical period in Mesoamerica coincides with the fall of Teotihuacán in the 7th century. In the course of this, many of the places in the southern lowlands (especially Tikal ) experienced a brief decline, which is referred to in research as the "classic hiatus". The late classical period, which was characterized by the continuous development of the Maya, is sometimes referred to as the heyday. In the early 20th century, this period was sometimes referred to as the "Old Kingdom" by analogy with Ancient Egypt ; this term is now considered imprecise and has therefore not been used by archaeologists and researchers for several decades.

During the post-classical period , the center of gravity of power gradually shifted from the Yucatán peninsula towards central Mexico. The Toltecs briefly controlled central Mexico from the 11th to the 13th centuries; after that, their empire fell apart under the onslaught of some tribes from northern Mexico. The resulting power vacuum was filled by the Aztec empire from the early 14th century until the Spanish conquest . In the north of Yucatán there was also an invasion of groups from central Mexico at the beginning of the 11th century, shortly after the Toltec empire had collapsed. The amalgamation of indigenous Mayan culture with the culture of the conquerors subsequently helped the cities of the northern lowlands to rise, which was only ended with the arrival of the Spanish. The late heyday of the Maya in the north was sometimes referred to as the “New Kingdom” in the early 20th century - a term that, based on new knowledge, no longer appears suitable and is therefore no longer used.

Timetable

In Mesoamerica, a classification into epochs is used for the classification of cultural phenomena, the exact chronological classification of which varies. An important reason for this is that striking cultural upheavals in the various regions of Mesoamerica do not appear at the same time. This becomes particularly clear for the end of the classical period, which is set earlier in central Mexico than in the area of ​​the Maya culture, which is why there is also spoken of an end classical period.

epoch time event
Early days
approx. 20,000 - 10,000 BC Chr. Settlement of the Mesoamerican area by humans
approx. 10,000 - 7,000 BC Chr. The oldest dating of archaeological finds in Central Mexico ( Tlapacoya ) and on the Yucatán Peninsula
approx. 8000 BC Chr. Dating of the Los Tapiales finds (earliest finds in Guatemala)
Archaic period
approx. 7000 BC Chr. first attempts at agriculture
approx. 5000 BC Chr. first domestication of maize as a crop
approx. 3000-2500 BC Chr. Establishment of permanently inhabited villages; Pottery and weaving development
approx. 2500 BC Chr. The ancestors of the Maya appear in Guatemala and mix with the indigenous population there.
Pre-classical
Early pre-classical 1500 - 700 BC Chr.
approx. 1500 BC Chr. The cultivation of maize becomes the basis of life for the peoples of Mesoamerica; Use of obsidian for tools. The Mokaya culture is currently considered to be the oldest socially differentiated culture of Mesoamerica.
approx. 1500-1200 BC Chr. Ocos pottery on the Pacific coast
approx. 1200 BC Chr. Beginning of the rise of the Olmec culture ; Tlatilco culture in central Mexico
approx. 850 BC Chr. first gold processing; first temple pyramids in La Venta and Tres Zapotes
Middle pre-classical 700-300 BC Chr.
approx. 600 BC Chr. Beginning of the Zapotec culture of Monte Albán and the Chupícuaro culture in central Mexico
approx. 500 BC Chr. The destruction of La Venta leads to the fall of the Olmec culture
Late pre-classical period 300 BC Chr. - 200 AD
approx. 400 - 150 BC Chr. Izapa culture on the Mexican Pacific coast
approx. 125 BC Chr. first datable stelae in the Maya area
36 BC Chr. earliest date recorded in the Long Count and counted from a zero point (on stele 2 in Chiapa de Corzo , Guatemala)
approx. 100 AD Start of construction on the first step pyramid in Teotihuacán in central Mexico
Classic
Early classical AD 200-500
approx. 200 Construction of the Teotihuacán Sun Pyramid begins
about 250 Construction of the Teotihuacán lunar pyramid begins
approx. 250 - 450 Foundation of the great Maya cities in today's Guatemala ( Tikal , Palenque , Copán and Yaxchilán )
292 Dating of the earliest stele dated in the Long Census in Tikal
approx. 300 - 550 The heyday of Teotihuacán : The city was probably the largest settlement on the American continent with around 125,000 inhabitants.
about 400 Much of the Maya territory is subjugated or influenced by Teotihuacán, which has a long-term influence on the Maya culture.
Middle classical 500-700 AD
about 500 Beginning of the heyday of the Zapotec culture
540 Founding of the Maya city of Bonampak
approx. 550 - 700 Long wars between the cities of Tikal and Calakmul and their vassals
approx. 600 - 650 Decline and subsequent abandonment of the city of Teotihuacán
approx. 650 Beginning of the classical hiatus : numerous cities in the southern lowlands are abandoned; Royalty and the nobility disappeared, and new, smaller, heavily fortified settlements were formed on heights
Late classical 700-900 AD
799 Last dating in the Mayan city of Palenque
822 Last dating in the Mayan city of Copán
879 Last dating in the Maya city of Tikal
End classic AD 900-1000
909 Last dating in the Maya cities of Uxmal and Toniná , at the same time the last dating of the classical Maya period
Post-classic
Early post-classic AD 900 / 1000–1200
approx. 950 Foundation of the Toltec capital Tula
987 The Toltec ruler Quetzalcoatl is expelled from Tula with his followers (origin of the Quetzalcoatl myth); in the same year they conquer the Maya city of Chichén Itzá .
1007 Founding of the Maya city of Mayapán
1140 Presumably first appearance of the ancestors of the Aztecs in the valley of Mexico
1168 With the destruction of Tula by the Chichimecs , the decline of the Toltec empire begins.
Late post-classic AD 1200–1520 / 1540
1221 The cities of Chichén Itzá , Mayapán and the newly settled Uxmal , located in the northern lowlands, found the League of Mayapán .
1224 The Toltecs leave Chichén Itzá; the Itzá regain control of the city.
approx. 1320-1350 Foundation of the later Aztec capital Tenochtitlán
circa 1350 The Mixtecs settle in Monte Albán .
1428 The central Mexican cities of Tenochtitlán , Texcoco and Tlacopán form the Aztec Triple Alliance .
1441 The League of Mayapán ends in a revolt that forces the Itzá to leave Chichén Itzá and destroys Mayapán.
1487 At the inauguration of the Templo Mayor in Tenochtitlán , more than 20,000 people were sacrificed within four days .
1511 First appearance of the Spaniards on the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula
1517 During the expedition of Juan de Grijalva , Europeans first came into contact with Aztecs .
1519-1521 The Spanish conquest of Mexico leads to the fall of the Aztec Empire.
1524-1542 The Spaniards make several attempts to subjugate the Maya , but only partially succeed. The resistance continued in the decades that followed.
Colonial times
1697 The last independent indigenous rule in Mesoamerica ends with the destruction of the Itzá city of Tayasal in Yucatán .

See also

literature