Preclassic Period

The Preclassic Period, often referred to as the Formative Period, spans from about 2000 BCE to 250 CE in Mesoamerica. During this time, early civilizations began to develop settled agricultural communities, building the foundations for more complex societies. People established permanent villages, created pottery, and developed early forms of social organization. Key cultures, like the Olmecs, emerged, influencing later civilizations with their art, religion, and trade. This period was crucial for laying the groundwork for the advanced societies that would follow, such as the Maya and the Aztecs, characterized by monumental architecture and intricate social structures.