Period · Mesoamerica
Early Preclassic
2000–1000 BCE
The Early Preclassic, or Early Formative, is the period of the first villages, pottery and the rise of the Olmec on the Gulf Coast of Mexico. Figurines, iron-ore mirrors and jade begin to move across Mesoamerica. San Lorenzo is the great centre of the late part of the period.
| Dates | 2000–1000 BCE |
|---|---|
| Region | Mesoamerica |
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Early Preclassic" (Period). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/periods/early-preclassic. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-early-preclassic,
title = {Early Preclassic},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/periods/early-preclassic}},
year = {2026},
note = {Period article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.