Período preclásico mesoamericano

Historians divide Mesoamerican history into the Preclassic, Classic, and Postclassic periods. The Middle Preclassic, roughly 1200 to 400 BCE, is when the first señoríos appeared: hierarchical societies ruled by a lord, with organized religion and monumental building.

The clearest examples are the Olmec centers of San Lorenzo and La Venta on the Gulf coast. Later, much larger states like Teotihuacan and the Maya cities belong to the Classic period, not the Preclassic.