Timeline of the Ancient Maya

Maya Timeline

PERIOD

DATE RANGE

DEVELOPMENTS

3114-3113 BCE

Creation of the world, according to the long count calendar

Archaic

3000-1800 BCE

hunting gathering
settlement of Cuello, Belize (ca. 2600 BCE)

Early Preclassic

1800-1000 BCE

Olmec culture
settlement of Copan
social stratification
first ceramics

Middle Preclassic

1000-300 BCE

first lowland villages
settlement of Tikal (600 BCE)
extensive trade and exchange develops in Peten
Kaminaljuyú emerges as trade center (ca. 400 BCE)

Late
Preclassic

300 BCE-
250 CE

first Tikal stelae,
pyramid building,
calendar
writing appears (ca. 100 BCE)
El Mirador abandoned
first known king date (Loltun cave, Yucatan, 100 CE)

Early
Classic

250-600

Teotihuacan influence
stela 29, earliest date monument at Tikal (292)
Tikal conquers Waxahktun (378)
Tikal sacks Caracol (556)
Caracol defeats Tikal (562)

Late
Classic

600-800

Teotihuacan sacked (ca. 650)
Temple of Inscriptions at Palenque begun (675)

Terminal Classic

800-925

Great Collapse of the classic Maya
Putun ascendency
Yax K'ik-Mo dynasty ended at Copan (820)
Tikal abandoned (899)
Coba is active in southern Yucatan (ca. 800)
House of the Governor and the Nunnery Quadrangle are commissioned at Uxmal (ca. 900)

Early Post-Classic

925-1200

Toltec hegemony in Yucatan
Chichén Itzá dominant in northwest Yucatan

Late Post-Classic

1200-1350

League of Mayapan dominant in Yucatan
highland city states
Chichén Itzá largely abandoned (1250)

Colonial Period

1500-1821

Hernández de Córdoba arrives at Yucatan (1517)
Spanish city of Merida established (1542)
John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood explore the Maya world (1839)
War of the Castes (1847-ca. 1901)
Mexican independence (1821)

Postcolonial/Modern

1800s-

Miguel Angel Asturias wins Nobel Prize (1967)
Rigoberta Menchú,wins Nobel Prize (1992)
Chiapas Maya, Tzeltal and Tzotzil rise against the Mexican government (1994)

Some Sources

Michael D. Coe, The Maya

Linda Schele and Peter Mathews, The Code of Kings

Metropolitan Museum of Art Timeline of Maya art

Interactive Maya Timeline, University of Texas

Maya timeline, University of Minnesota

PERIOD	DATE RANGE	DEVELOPMENTS

	3114-3113 BCE	Creation of the world, according to the long count calendar

Archaic	3000-1800 BCE	hunting gathering settlement of Cuello, Belize (ca. 2600 BCE)

Early Preclassic	1800-1000 BCE	Olmec culture settlement of Copan social stratification first ceramics

Middle Preclassic	1000-300 BCE	first lowland villages settlement of Tikal (600 BCE) extensive trade and exchange develops in Peten Kaminaljuyú emerges as trade center (ca. 400 BCE)

Late Preclassic	300 BCE- 250 CE	first Tikal stelae, pyramid building, calendar writing appears (ca. 100 BCE) El Mirador abandoned first known king date (Loltun cave, Yucatan, 100 CE)

Early Classic	250-600	Teotihuacan influence stela 29, earliest date monument at Tikal (292) Tikal conquers Waxahktun (378) Tikal sacks Caracol (556) Caracol defeats Tikal (562)

Late Classic	600-800	Teotihuacan sacked (ca. 650) Temple of Inscriptions at Palenque begun (675)

Terminal Classic	800-925	Great Collapse of the classic Maya Putun ascendency Yax K'ik-Mo dynasty ended at Copan (820) Tikal abandoned (899) Coba is active in southern Yucatan (ca. 800) House of the Governor and the Nunnery Quadrangle are commissioned at Uxmal (ca. 900)

Early Post-Classic	925-1200	Toltec hegemony in Yucatan Chichén Itzá dominant in northwest Yucatan

Late Post-Classic	1200-1350	League of Mayapan dominant in Yucatan highland city states Chichén Itzá largely abandoned (1250)

Colonial Period	1500-1821	Hernández de Córdoba arrives at Yucatan (1517) Spanish city of Merida established (1542) John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood explore the Maya world (1839) War of the Castes (1847-ca. 1901) Mexican independence (1821)

Postcolonial/Modern	1800s-	Miguel Angel Asturias wins Nobel Prize (1967) Rigoberta Menchú,wins Nobel Prize (1992) Chiapas Maya, Tzeltal and Tzotzil rise against the Mexican government (1994)