Classic Period (America): what it was, summary and characteristics

We explain what the Mesoamerican Classic Period was and its characteristics. In addition, we explain the civilizations that developed and more.

The Mayan cities of Tikal, Copán and Uxmal had their heyday during the Classic period.

What was the Classic Period?

The Mesoamerican Classic Period, also known as the fourth period of American prehistory, spanned from 200 AD to 900 AD.This period saw the rise of the Mayan, Teotihuacan and Zapotec peoples, who formed stratified societies and complex states.

The societies of the Classic Period They built large urban centers which, in some cases, had more than 100,000 inhabitants. In addition, they mastered better cultivation techniques that allowed the constant increase in population and created different forms of social and state control.

The invention of different writing systems It allowed them to record everything from the military conquests of their rulers to the legends and genealogies of their gods.

See also: Pre-Columbian cultures

Mesoamerican chronology

The Classic Period is located between the Preclassic Period (2500 BC-200 AD) and the Postclassic Period (900-1521 AD). In addition, the Mesoamerican Classic Period is divided into the following stages:

• Early Classic (200-550 AD).
• Medium Classic (550-700 AD).
• Late Classic (700-900 AD)

Characteristics of the Classic Period

During the Classic Period, highly complex glyphic writing systems were created.

The Classic Period of Mesoamerica was characterized by:

• The state organizationTwo types of political and territorial organization developed: one type of State in which a single ruler at the top of the social pyramid ruled (as in the Mayan city-states); and another, a multiethnic type with a corporate organization in which social groups (and not individuals) functioned as political entities (as in the case of Teotihuacan). In both cases, the seats of government were in large urban centers and involved different forms of administration and organization of production.
• Organized urban planning. Along with the complexity of the political organization, large urban centers appeared. In the cities there was great internal social differentiation, based not only on access to goods and privileges, but also on occupation and trades. The construction of the cities was planned in detail, considering the location of the administrative, religious, productive and commercial centers, in addition to the land surrounding the homes.
• The writing system. Different cultures of the Classic Period developed their own writing systems. In some cases, the level of complexity of the system was lower and the glyphs acted as figurative symbols that accompanied artistic representations. In others, the notation systems became logo-syllabic and integrated hundreds of glyphs, from which they could record narrative stories about the lives of rulers and the myths of the gods.
• The colossal monuments. The architecture of the period featured monumental buildings: temples and sanctuaries that, in each culture, were built and decorated in a characteristic style. The temples had enormous pyramidal bases and their position was diagrammed based on celestial maps.
• The priestly power. Priests had great influence on social, cultural, economic and political organisation. In many cases, they exercised political functions alongside the ruler or advised through oracles on military and political decisions. In addition, they mastered writing techniques, which allowed them to organise the religious creed and record the worldview of their people.
• The construction of ceremonial centers. The development of urban centers around large monumental temples shows the importance of religion. In the polytheism characteristic of these societies, the gods of storm and rain had special relevance during this period.
• Sophisticated agricultural techniques. The improvement of agricultural activity allowed the transformation of societies, since it made it possible to supply food to large populations and boosted commercial capacity with other nearby populations.
• Specialized artisanal productionThe complexification of the social fabric in urban life gave rise to the emergence of artisans dedicated to producing luxury goods with complex and specialized techniques. In some cases, the ruling elites sponsored goldsmiths, pen-makers and sculptors who worked with materials imported from other regions.

Classical Period Civilizations

The city of Teotihuacán came to house more than 150,000 inhabitants.

The main Mesoamerican cultures of the Classic Period were:

• Teotihuacan culture. This civilization inhabited the northeast of the Valley of Mexico, around the city of Teotihuacán and its splendor was between 200 AD. C. and 550 AD. C. It is one of the most mysterious cultures for archaeologists, who still debate what its origins were and try to understand the causes of its disappearance. It is believed that the State did not have a single ruler but rather a collective co-government administered by a ruling class that represented the different ethnic groups that made up Teotihuacan society. This culture had great influence on other contemporary civilizations (such as the Mayan cities) and later (such as the Aztec civilization).
• Zapotec cultureThis civilization occupied the valley of Oaxaca and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec between 500 BC and 900 AD. From the city of Monte Albán, the Zapotecs conquered neighboring peoples and expanded their state. Their political and social organization was strongly influenced by religious dogma and their artistic expressions had warlike and ceremonial features.
• Mayan culture. This civilization inhabited the Yucatán Peninsula between 2000 BC. C. and 1527 AD. C. Throughout their history, the Mayans organized different independent city-states with theocratic governments. During the Classic Period, the cities of Palenque, Copán, Tikal and Uxmal led the Mayan horizon. Its temples were made of stone, shaped like a stepped pyramid and walls painted in bright colors. The Mayan culture is recognized for its development in agricultural technology and its astronomical knowledge.

End of the Classic Period

At the end of the Classic Period, the importance of the cult of warrior gods grew.

The end of the Classic Period It is linked to the decline of the dominant cultures of each Mesoamerican region., during the 9th and 10th centuries AD. C. Historians mark the difference between this period and the next, called Postclassic (900-1521 AD), based on some changes that characterized the different Mesoamerican cultures of both periods:

• Military activity. In the Postclassic Period, military activity became especially important in the relationship between the different Mesoamerican civilizations. There was a boost in the development of weapons technology (with the introduction of metallurgy) and a greater number of military conflicts for the control of territories.
• Hegemony of the warrior classesDuring the Classical Period, the ruling classes legitimized their power through religious beliefs and were mostly linked to priestly groups. In the later period, the increase in military activity led to the ruling groups being directly linked to the warlike role.
• Strengthening merchant groupsThe deepening of class differences within Mesoamerican societies allowed merchant groups to strengthen their place on the social ladder. By bringing luxury goods that the ruling classes used as a symbol of distinction, merchants became rich and strengthened their power in the political framework.
• war pantheon. In the religious sphere, the cult of warrior gods such as Quetzalcoátl (the Feathered Serpent) began to predominate, and the gods linked to rain and fertility were relegated to second place.

Continue with: Mesoamerica

References

• López Austin, Alfredo; and López Luján, Leonardo (2001): The indigenous pastMexico City: The College of Mexico.
• Boehm de Lameiras, B. (1991). The State in Mesoamerica. A study on its origin and evolution. Spanish Journal of American Anthropology, twenty-oneeleven.
• Carmack, Robert et. al. (1996): The legacy of Mesoamerica: history and culture of a Native American civilization. Prentice Hall. New Jersey.
• Duverger, Christian (1999): Mesoamerica, art and anthropology. CONACULTA-Landucci Editores. Paris.
• “Ancient Americas: Maya” in History.