Classic stage

The Classic Stage is a theoretical archaeological term applied to North and Meso-American societies that existed between CE 500 and 1200. This stage is the fourth of five stages posited by Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips' 1958 book Method and Theory in American Archaeology.^[1]

Cultures of the Classic Stage are supposed to possess craft specialization and the beginnings of urbanism and large ceremonial centers. Ideologically, Classic cultures should have a developed theocracy.^[2]

The "Classic Stage" was initially defined as restricted to the complex societies of Mesoamerica and Peru. However, the time period includes other advanced cultures, such as Hopewell, Teotihuacan, and the early Maya.

The "Classic Stage" followed the Formative stage (Pre-Classic) and was superseded by the Post-Classic stage.^[3]

1. The Lithic stage
2. The Archaic stage
3. The Formative stage
4. The Classic stage
5. The Post-Classic stage

See also

• Archaeology of the Americas
• Category:Archaeology of the Americas
• Chachapoyas culture
• Cultural periods of Peru
• Mesoamerican chronology
• Olmec influences on Mesoamerican cultures

References

Pre-Columbian civilizations and cultures
Americas	Paleo-Indians  · Genetic history · Archaeology of the Americas · Indigenous peoples of the Americas
North America	North American pre-Columbian cultures – Caddoan Mississippian – Chichimeca –Hopewell tradition – Coles Creek – Fremont – Marksville – Mississippian – Mogollon – Plaquemine – Plum Bayou – Poverty Point – Troyville – Weeden Island –
Mesoamerica	Mesoamerican pre-Columbian chronology – Capacha – Cholula – Coclé – Epi-Olmec – Huastec – Izapa – Mezcala – Mixtec – Olmec – Pipil – Quelepa – Shaft tomb tradition – Teuchitlan – Tarascan – Teotihuacan – Tlatilco – Tlaxcaltec – Toltec – Totonac – Veracruz – Xochipala – Zapotec
South America	South American Indigenous people – pre-Columbian chronology – Cañaris – Chachapoya – Chancay – Chavín – Chimú – El Abra – Hydraulic culture of mounds (Bolivia) – Las Vegas – Lima – La Tolita (Tumaco) – Manteño-Guancavilca – Mapuche – Moche – Mollo – Muisca (Chibchas) – Nariño – Nazca – Norte Chico – Quimbaya – San Agustín – Shuar – Sican – Taino – Tairona – Tiwanaku – Tierradentro – Valdivia – Wari
	Aztec	Maya civilization	Inca Empire – Andean civilizations
Language	Nahuatl	Mayan languages	Quechua
Writing	Aztec writing	Maya script	Quipu
Religion	Aztec religion	Maya religion	Inca religion
Mythology	Aztec mythology	Maya mythology	Inca mythology
Calendar	Aztec calendar	Maya calendar
Society	Aztec society	Maya society	Inca society
Infrastructure	Chinampas	Maya architecture	Inca architecture (road system) Incan agriculture
History	Aztec history		Inca history
People	Moctezuma I Moctezuma II Cuitláhuac Cuauhtémoc	K'inich Janaab' Pakal Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil Jasaw Chan K'awiil I	Manco Cápac Pachacuti Atahualpa Manco Inca Yupanqui Túpac Amaru II
Conquest	Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire (Hernán Cortés)	Spanish conquest of Yucatán (Francisco de Montejo) Spanish conquest of Guatemala (Pedro de Alvarado)	Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (Francisco Pizarro)
See also
Columbian Exchange – Mesoamerican writing systems – Native American cuisine – Native American pottery – Population history of the indigenous peoples of the Americas – Pre-Columbian art – Painting in the Americas before Colonization

Pre-Columbian North America Periods Lithic Archaic Formative Classic Post-Classic Archaeological cultures Adena Alachua Ancient Pueblo (Anasazi) Baytown Belle Glade Buttermilk Creek Complex Caborn-Welborn Calf Creek Caloosahatchee Clovis Coles Creek Deptford Folsom Fort Ancient Fort Walton Fremont Glades Glacial Kame Hopewell List of Hopewell sites Hohokam Leon-Jefferson Mississippian List of Mississippian sites Mogollon Monongahela Old Cordilleran Oneota Paleo-Arctic Paleo-Indians Patayan Plano Plaquemine Poverty Point Red Ocher Santa Rosa-Swift Creek St. Johns Steed-Kisker Tchefuncte Tocobaga Troyville Archaeological sites Angel Mounds Bandelier National Monument The Bluff Point Stoneworks Cahokia Chaco Canyon Casa Grande Coso Rock Art District Eaker Effigy Mounds National Monument Etowah Indian Mounds Eva Folsom Site Fort Ancient Fort Center Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Holly Bluff Site Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Kincaid Mounds Kolomoki Manitou Cliff Dwellings Marksville Meadowcroft Rockshelter Mesa Verde Moorehead Circle Moundville Mummy Cave Nodena Site Ocmulgee National Monument Old Stone Fort Parkin Park Pinson Mounds Portsmouth Earthworks Poverty Point Pueblo Bonito Rock Eagle Rock Hawk Russell Cave National Monument Salmon Ruins Serpent Mound Spiro Mounds SunWatch Taos Pueblo Toltec Mounds Town Creek Indian Mound Winterville Miscellaneous Black drink Buhl Woman Calumet Chunkey Clovis point Container Revolution Eastern Agricultural Complex Eden point Effigy mound Falcon dancer Folsom point Green Corn Ceremony Horned Serpent Kennewick Man Kiva Metallurgy Mi'kmaq hieroglyphic writing Medicine wheel Mound builders N.A.G.P.R.A. Stickball Norse colonization of the Americas Piasa Southeastern Ceremonial Complex Three Sisters agriculture Thunderbird Underwater panther Related Genetic history Indigenous Portal of North America Pre-Columbian era

Indigenous peoples of the Americas Pre-history Paleo-Indians Pre-Columbian era Classification Archaeology Genetics Mythology/Religion Mythologies of the indigenous peoples of North America‎ - (Native American religion) Mesoamerican mythology - (Mesoamerican religion) European colonization European colonization Population history Columbian Exchange Modern societies by country North America Dominica Greenland Canada United States Jamaica Mexico Central America El Salvador Costa Rica West Indies Panama South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Paraguay Peru Venezuela Related topics Indigenous American studies Indigenous languages Indigenous Movements Indigenous art Artists Writers Category Portal

Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Archaeological sites Paisley Caves Fort Rock Cave Kennewick Man Marmes Rockshelter X̲á:ytem Ethnicities Aleutian Bannock Cahto Cayuse Chinook Coast Salish Coeur d' Alene Colville Dakelh (Carrier) Gitxsan Haida Haisla Heiltsuk Inuit Kalapuya Klamath Kutenai (Ktunaxa) Kwakwaka'wakw Makah Methow Miwok Molala Naukan Nez Perce Nicola Nisga'a Nlaka'pamux (Thompson) Nuu-chah-nulth Nuxalk (Bella Coola) Quileute Secwepemc (Shuswap) Shasta Sinixt Sinixt (Lake) St'at'imc (Lillooet) Sylix Tahltan Takelma Tlingit Tsetsaut Tsilhqot'in (Chilcotin) Tsimshian Umatilla Umpqua Walla Walla Wuikinuxv Yupik Languages Athabaskan People Chief Garry Chief Joseph Sarah Winnemucca Annie Miner Peterson Coquelle Thompson Sacagawea Randy'L He-dow Teton Nicola Maquinna Concomly Wickaninnish Cumshewa Simon Gunanoot Slumach Sealth Leschi Tonasket August Jack Khatsahlano Joe Capilano Harriet Nahanee Annie York Chief Dan George Bill Reid Places Celilo Falls Cascades Rapids Kettle Falls Siwash Rock Tseax Lava Bed Memorial Towns and villages Skedans Ninstints Cumshewa Masset Skidegate 'Yalis (Alert Bay) Lax Kw'alaams Lax Ksiluux 'Ksan Gingolx Kitwanga X̱wemelch'stn Kiix?in Yuquot Opitsaht Old Man House Armed conflicts Cayuse War Modoc War Yakima War Spokane-Coeur d'Alene-Paloos War Fraser Canyon War Puget Sound War Chilcotin War Tonquin incident Nicola's War Court cases and treaties Boldt Decision Sohappy v. Smith Delgamuukw v. British Columbia Nisga'a Treaty Modern issues Land claims Miscellaneous Bridge of the Gods (geologic event) Reservations in Oregon Raven Tales

Categories

• Commons category without a link on Wikidata
• Classic period in the Americas
• Archaeological cultures of North America
• Pre-Columbian cultures
• Late Prehistoric period of North America

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