Mesoamerica Timeline

In the website for the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI), John Pohl says the term Mesoamerica was coined by Paul Kirchhoff to refer to an area that spoke about sixty languages but was united by history and certain cultural traits. The area is now covered by the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and El Salvador.

The chronology of Mesoamerica is divided into a Pre Classic Period, a Classic Period, and a Post Classic Period.

Pre Classic Period
1500 B.C. - A.D. 300

• Olmec 1200-400 B.C.
• Zapotec 500 B.C.-A.D. 1000
• Maya 1000 B.C.-A.D. 1521
• Teotihuacán A.D. 1-650

Classic Period
A.D. 300-950

• Zapotec 500 B.C.-A.D. 1000
• Maya 1000 B.C.-A.D. 1521
• Teotihuacán A.D. 1-650
• El Tajin A.D. 550-1100
• Mixtec A.D. 900-1521

Post Classic Period
A.D. 950-1521

• El Tajin A.D. 550-1100
• Mixtec A.D. 900-1521
• Aztec A.D. 1200-1521