c. 2000 BCE – 250 CEReputable sourceWell documented
The First Maya
On the timeline · around c. 2000 BCE – 250 CE ·
What happened
The Maya emerged from farming villages in the lowlands and highlands of Mesoamerica, cultivating maize, beans and squash. Drawing on the earlier Olmec culture, by the late Preclassic they were raising the first cities, pyramids and monuments.
Why it matters
These Preclassic roots laid the foundations — agriculture, cities, gods and glyphs — for one of the most sophisticated civilizations of the ancient Americas.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Maya Civilization · Reputable source