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2000 BCE
Early Preclassic Period
The Mayan civilization begins to form with small agricultural communities. -
1000 BCE
Emergence of Village Life
The Mayans begin to make villages and develop early ceremonial architecture -
750 BCE
Development of Writing
The Mayans begin to use hieroglyphic writing to record their history and rituals. -
400 BCE
Rise of El Mirador
The city of El Mirador in modern-day Guatemala becomes a major Mayan center with massive pyramids and structures -
250
Beginning of the Classic Period
The height of Mayan civilization begins, with the growth of major cities like Tikal and Palenque. -
Period: 600 to 750
Peak of Mayan Civilization
Mayans begin to excel in architecture, mathematics, astronomy, and building impressive pyramids and observatories -
800
Mysterious Collapse of the Southern Lowlands
Many large Mayan cities in the Southern Lowlands are abandoned, likely due to drought, warfare, or resource depletion. -
900
End of the Classic Period
The decline of many major city-states in the Southern Maya lowlands marks the end of the Classic Period, though cities in the north continue to thrive -
1214
Invasion of the Toltecs
The Toltec people, from central Mexico, invade Mayan lands and influence the culture, leading to the rise of new city-states -
1517
Spanish Contact and Conquest
The Spanish begin their conquest of Mayan territory, making the end of Mayan independence and the eventual fall of their last cities by the late 17th century