Periodisation of the history of Belize

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The periodisation of the history of Belize is the division of Belizean, Maya, and Mesoamerican history into named blocks of time, spanning the arrival of Palaeoindians to the present time. The pre-Columbian era is most often periodised by Mayanists, who often employ four or five periods to discuss history prior to the arrival of Spaniards. The Columbian era is most often periodised by historians, and less often by Mayanists, who often employ at least four periods to discuss history up to the present time.

Contents

Columbian

Periods

The Columbian era of Belizean history is most often divided into four periods, ie the Spanish, Precolonial, Colonial, and Sovereign, all preceded by a portion of the pre-Columbian Postclassic period extending past 1492. These are most often defined or characterised in terms of distinguishing events occurring between each period, ie events separating one period from another, and less often in terms of distinguishing events, trends, or milestones occurring within each period. Generally, there has been less attention paid to the periodisation of the Columbian era of Belizean history, as opposed to its pre-Columbian era, resulting in broad concordance between the upper and lower bounds employed for each period in scholarly literature.[ citation needed ]

Postclassic

(see § Pre-Columbian below)

Spanish

The Spanish period is most often characterised as the time span prior to the beginning or end of the Tipu rebellion, 6 June 1638 – 31 December 1643, or to the latest Tipu reducción in 1 January – 31 December 1708. [1] [ citation needed ]

Precolonial

The Precolonial period is most often characterised as the time span running to the date on which the British settlement in the Bay of Honduras was granted a colonial charter, ie 12 February 1862, or the date on which these letters patent were proclaimed, ie 12 May 1862. [2]

Colonial

The Colonial period is most often characterised as the time span running to the passage of the Belize Act in UK Parliament, the Constitution Act in the Belizean Parliament, or the date on which said acts came into force, known as the day on which Belize gained sovereignty or independence from the UK, ie 21 September 1981.[ citation needed ]

Sovereign

The Sovereign ie Independent period is most often characterised as the time span running to the present.

Table

Defined upper and lower bounds of Columbian periods of Belizean history as per 20th and 21st century literature. [note 1]
NoNameSubSpanDateDateEventNotes
1Postclassic
  • Early
  • Late
from latest Mayan monumental inscriptionto earliest Spanish contact or completion of Spanish conquest13 January 91013 January 910Dedication of Itzimte Stela 6cf  [note 2]
21 October 149221 October 1492Arrival of Columbus
1 January 154431 December 1544Founding of Bacalar
2Spanish
  • Early
  • Late
to start of Tipu revolt or abandonment of Bacalar or latest reducción6 June 16387 June 1638Start of Tipu revoltcf  [note 3]
30 May 165231 December 1652Abandonment of Bacalar
1 January 170830 June 1708Latest Spanish reducción
3Precolonial–to granting of colonial charter or to its proclamation12 February 186212 February 1862Charter grantedcf  [note 4]
12 May 186212 May 1862Charter proclaimed
4Colonial–to passage of Belize and Constitution Acts or from their enactment6 June 19817 June 1981Passage of Belize and Constitution Actscf  [note 5]
21 September 198121 September 1981Enactment of Belize and Constitution Acts
5Sovereign–to present––––

Graph

Po
Po
Spanish
Spanish
Precolonial
Precolonial
Colonial
Colonial
So
So
Po
Spanish
Precolonial
Colonial
So
↓Bacalar settled
↓Tipu revolt
↓Charter
↓Belize Act
│
1490
│
1540
│
1590
│
1640
│
1690
│
1740
│
1790
│
1840
│
1890
│
1940
│
1990
Upper and lower bounds of Columbian periods of Belizean history

Top rows display maximal and minimal upper and lower bounds of periods and sub-periods
Bottom rows display standardised or traditional upper and lower bounds periods and sub-periods
Key
Po = Postclassic
So = Sovereign

Table

Upper and lower bounds of Columbian periods of Belizean history as per 20th and 21st century literature. [note 6]
PlaceStartPostclassicSpanishPrecolonialColonialSovereignNotes
Belize10001544164818621981–cf  [3] [note 7]
Belize10001544170818621981–cf  [3] [note 8]
Belize100015211708–––cf  [4] [note 9]
Belize1000––18621981–cf  [5]
Belize––163818621981–cf  [6] [6] [note 10]
Belize––165018621981–cf  [6] [note 11]
Orange Walk10001544170018621981–cf  [7] [note 12]

Pre-Columbian

Periods

Pre-Columbian Belizean, Maya, and Mesoamerican history is most often divided into five periods, ie the Palaeoindian, Archaic, Preclassic, Classic, and Postclassic. These are most often defined or characterised in terms of distinguishing events or trends occurring within each period, rather than events occurring between each period (ie events separating one period from another). [8] As a result, though the aforementioned sequence is well-established, and despite each period's characterisation being broadly agreed upon, various discordant upper and lower bounds have been employed for each period in scholarly literature, resulting in temporal overlaps and gaps between chronologies. Additionally, the events or trends used to characterise these periods are now known to have occurred at different times in different geographic regions, sub-regions, and settlements, rather than all-at-once across the Maya Region or Mesoamerica. [9] This further adds to the discordance between chronologies employed in scholarly literature, as increasingly localised upper and lower bounds for sub-regional geographic entities are used (in preference to fixed or standardised regional start and end dates). [note 13]

Preceramic

The Preceramic period is most often characterised as the time span prior to the first appearance of ceramics in the relevant geographic region.[ citation needed ]

Palaeoindian

The Palaeoindian ie Lithic period is most often characterised as the time span during which humans first peopled the Americas. [8] Its start is, furthermore, commonly dated to modern humans' first arrival in the relevant geographic region. [10]

Archaic

The Archaic period is most often characterised as the time span during which non-nomadic farming settlements first appeared in the relevant geographic region. [11]

Preclassic

The Preclassic ie Formative period is most often characterised as the timespan during which socioeconomically complex societies or states first appeared across the relevant geographic region. [12] It was prior thought of as the period which preceded the Classic culmination or florescence of Maya civilisation, ie 'as a precursor to civilisation, but without the attributes of civilisation in its own right.' [13]

Classic

The Classic period is most often characterised as the time span during which the social, economic, political, artistic, and intellectual development of societies or states across the relevant geographic region first peaked or culminated. [14]

Postclassic

The Postclassic is most often characterised as the time span during which societies or states across the relevant geographic region underwent transformation or revival. [15] It was prior thought of as the period which followed the Classic culmination or florescence of Maya civilisation, ie 'as a decline from the Classic peak of civilisation, a time marked by decadence rather than [a Classic-like] era of continued development.' [13]

Though the entire Palaeoindian-to-Postclassic time span is often characterised as pre-Columbian, the Postclassic is most often end dated after 1492. [16]

Table

Defining upper and lower bounds of pre-Columbian periods in 21st century literature.
NoNameSubSpanDateDateEventNotes
1Preceramic
  • Palaeoindian
  • Archaic
from earliest arrival of modern humans to earliest use or production of ceramics11785 cal BC11410 cal BCDeath of Naharon Icf  [note 14]
6660 cal BC6570 cal BCDeath of unnamed Toledoan
1375 cal BC1050 cal BCProduction of unnamed Cunil ceramic
2Preclassic
  • Early
  • Middle
  • Late
  • Terminal
to earliest monumental inscription300 cal BC200 cal BCInscription of Mayan hieroglyphs in Las Pinturascf  [note 15]
3Classic
  • Early
  • Late
  • Terminal
to latest monumental inscription13 January 91013 January 910Dedication of Itzimte Stela 6cf  [note 16]
4Postclassic
  • Early
  • Late
to earliest Spanish contact or completion of Spanish conquest21 October 149221 October 1492Arrival of Columbus
1 March 154431 March 1544Founding of Bacalar

Graph

Pa
Pa
Archaic
Archaic
E
E
M
M
L
L
T
T
E
E
L
L
T
T
E
E
L
L
Pa
Archaic
E
M
L
T
E
L
T
E
L
Preceramic
Preclassic
Classic
Po
 ← Palaeoindian settlement
↓Maya settlement
 Spanish conquest →
│
8500 BC
│
6500 BC
│
4500 BC
│
2500 BC
│
500 BC
│
1500 AD
Upper and lower bounds of Pre-Columbian periods of Belizean history

Top rows display maximal and minimal upper and lower bounds of periods and sub-periods
Bottom rows display standardised or traditional upper and lower bounds periods and sub-periods
Key
Pa = Palaeoindian
Po = Postclassic
E = Early
M = Middle
L = Late
T = Terminal

Table

Upper and lower bounds of Columbian periods of Belizean, Maya, or Mesoamerican history as per 21st century literature. [note 17]
PlaceStartPreceramicPreclassicClassicPoNotes
PaArEMLTELTEL
Maya-12000-8000-2000-1000-400100250600800900–1500cf  [17]
Maya-12000-8000-2000-1000-4001002506008001100–1500cf  [17]
Mesoamerica-35000-7000-2000–––––––––cf  [18]
Mesoamerica-35000-9000-2000–––––––––cf  [18]
Lowlands––––-400–250600800900–1500cf  [19] [note 18]
Mesoamerica–––-900-3001150600790900––cf  [20]
Mesoamerica–––-900-3001250600790900––cf  [20]
Toledo-13500-8000-1500-900––250–––––cf  [21]
Cayo–––-1200-300115060080090012001500cf  [22]
Cayo–––-1200-300130060080090012001500cf  [22]
Mesoamerica-33050-7000-2000–––––––––cf  [23]
Mesoamerica-33050-9000-2000–––––––––cf  [23]
Lowlands––––––250––900––cf  [24]
Mesoamerica––––––300––90012001521cf  [25] [note 19]
Cayo––-1200-900-300–300600800900––cf  [26] [note 20]
Belize––-1500-900-400-100250600800100012001544cf  [3] [note 21]
Belize––-1500-900-400-100250600800100012501544cf  [3] [note 22]
Belize-11500-8000-900–––––––––cf  [27] [note 23]
Belize-11500-8000-1200-1000-400–––––––cf  [28] [note 24]
Mesoamerica-10000-8000-1500–––300––900–1520cf  [29] [30] [31]
Mesoamerica––-2000-900-6001250600–90012001521cf  [32] [note 25]
Maya-12000-7000-2000-1000-400–250600900100012501521cf  [33] [note 26]
Maya-12000-8000-2000-1000-400–300600900100012501521cf  [33] [note 27]
Belize–-7000-2500-1000-400–25060080090012501530cf  [34]

See also

Notes and references

Explanatory footnotes

  1. ↑ Gregorian dates provided, unless otherwise noted.
  2. ↑ Itzimte event in Ebert et al. 2015, p. 342, tab. 1 item no. 29, Long Count date 10.4.1.0.0 converted to Gregorian date using GMT correlation with 584283 constant, as per the online FAMSI calculator. Bacalar event in Chamberlain 1948, p. 234 (dated 'sometime during 1544') and Jones 1989, p. 43 (dated 'at the end of 1544').
  3. ↑ Bacalar event in Vazquez Barke 2012, pp. 114–115. Reducción event in Jones 1998, pp. 407–408 (dated in or prior to 'early 1708').
  4. ↑ Charter events in Burdon 1935, pp. 246, 248.
  5. ↑ xxx
  6. ↑ Column colours match those in graphic timeline above.
  7. ↑ Spanish Period dated 1544–1648 or 1544–1708, while Precolonial dated 1660s –1862 (Graham 2011, pp. 2, 49, fig. 0.1).
  8. ↑ Spanish Period dated 1544–1648 or 1544–1708, while Precolonial dated 1660s –1862 (Graham 2011, pp. 2, 48, fig. 0.1).
  9. ↑ Though Classic dated 250–900, but 'divided into two temporal sub-periods' ie Early (250–600) and Late (600–900), except that '[b]ridging the Classic and the Postclassic periods is a span of time known to Mayanists as the Terminal Classic' ie 800–1000, and Postclassic dated 900–1521, with Early (900–1250) and Late (1250–1521) sub-periods (McLellan 2020, pp. 3, 22–24, 28–33).
  10. ↑ 'Peter Wallace, a Scottish buccaneer [...] may have begun a settlement at the mouth of the Belize River about 1638,' but later 'British buccaneers and logwood cutters settled on the inhospitable coast in the mid-17th century,' and further '[i]n 1798 the British overcame Spain’s final attempt to remove them by force, and Belize became a colony in all but name' (Britannica 2022, secs. entitled 'Introduction & Quick Facts' and 'History').
  11. ↑ 'Peter Wallace, a Scottish buccaneer [...] may have begun a settlement at the mouth of the Belize River about 1638,' but later 'British buccaneers and logwood cutters settled on the inhospitable coast in the mid-17th century,' and further '[i]n 1798 the British overcame Spain’s final attempt to remove them by force, and Belize became a colony in all but name' (Britannica 2022, secs. entitled 'Introduction & Quick Facts' and 'History').
  12. ↑ Postclassic dated to 1530, but Spanish Period dated 1544 –1700, and further split into two unnamed sub-periods dated 1544–1641 and 1641–1700, respectively (Rushton 2014, pp. 18, 44).
  13. ↑ 'Thus, [...] we should always think of [these] chronological boundaries not as fixed dates but as approximations of transitions that actually extended over many decades or even centuries (and varied from region to region)' (Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 156).
  14. ↑ Naharon I event in Wrobel, Hoggarth & Marshall 2021, p. 478, tab. 1. Toledoan ie Mayahak Cab Pek event in Kennett et al. 2020, tab. in supp. 1, individual AMS Lab ID PSUAMS-4290. Cunil ie Cahal Pech event in Ebert, Pierce & Awe 2019, supp. p. 6, item Lab # Beta-253771.
  15. ↑ Las Pinturas ie San Bartolo [Guatemala] event in Saturno, Stuart & Beltran 2006 and Stuart et al. 2022.
  16. ↑ Itzimte event in Ebert et al. 2015, p. 342, tab. 1 item no. 29, Long Count date 10.4.1.0.0 converted to Gregorian date using GMT correlation with 584283 constant.
  17. ↑ Column colours match those in graphic timeline above. Headers used –Pa Palaeoindian / Ar Archaic / E Early / M Middle / L Late / T Terminal / Po Postclassic.
  18. ↑ End dated 'to the Spanish Conquest in the sixteenth century' (Adams & Macleod 2000a, p. 206).
  19. ↑ 'Middle Postclassic' dated 1200–1430, with Late Postclassic dated 1430–1521 (Pearsall 2008, p. 210).
  20. ↑ No Terminal Preclassic Period, or said period subsumed into Middle or Late Preclassic (Awe et al. 2021, p. 524, fig. 2).
  21. ↑ Expands Early Classic into 'Early Classic' dated 250–450, and 'Late Classic' dated 450–600, and further expands Late Postclassic into 'Middle Postclassic' dated 1200–1350 or 1250–1350, 'Late Postclassic' dated 1350–1450 or 1350–1492, and 'Terminal Postclassic' dated 1450–1544 or 1492–1544 (Graham 2011, p. 2, fig. 0.1).
  22. ↑ Expands Early Classic into 'Early Classic' dated 250–450, and 'Late Classic' dated 450–600, and further expands Late Postclassic into 'Middle Postclassic' dated 1200–1350 or 1250–1350, 'Late Postclassic' dated 1350–1450 or 1350–1492, and 'Terminal Postclassic' dated 1450–1544 or 1492–1544 (Graham 2011, p. 2, fig. 0.1).
  23. ↑ Archaic Period dated to 900 BC, but Preclassic Period dated from 1200 BC, as 'the 900 B.C. date for the end of a "preceramic" Late Archaic may be too recent for some sites' (Stemp et al. 2021, pp. 417–419).
  24. ↑ Archaic Period dated to 900 BC, but Preclassic Period dated from 1200 BC, as 'the 900 B.C. date for the end of a "preceramic" Late Archaic may be too recent for some sites' (Stemp et al. 2021, pp. 417–419).
  25. ↑ Preclassic expanded to six sub-periods ie Initial (2000 BC – 1200 BC), Early (1200 BC – 900 BC), Middle (900 BC – 600 BC), Middle-to-Late (ca. 600 BC – 300 BC), Late (300 BC – 1 AD), Terminal (1–250), and Classic-cum-Postclassic sub-periods given as Early (250–600), Late (600–900), Epiclassic-and-Early (750–1200), Middle (1200-1400), Late (1400–1521) . [32]
  26. ↑ Periods given as Palaeoindian (12000 BC –7000 BC in section title, but later the period's end is dated to 8000 BC in text), Archaic (7000 BC –2000 BC), Preclassic (2000 BC –250 AD, but containing only three sub-periods ie Early [2000 BC –1000 BC], Middle [1000 –400 BC], Late [400 BC –300 AD], with this last sub-period post-dating the containing period's end-date), Classic (250–900, but 'divided into two temporal sub-periods' ie Early [250–600] and Late [600–900], though '[b]ridging the Classic and the Postclassic periods is a span of time known to Mayanists as the Terminal Classic' ie 800–1000), and Postclassic (900–1521, with Early [900–1250] and Late [1250–1521] sub-periods) (McLellan 2020, pp. 3, 22–24, 28–36).
  27. ↑ Periods given as Palaeoindian (12000 BC –7000 BC in section title, but later the period's end is dated to 8000 BC in text), Archaic (7000 BC –2000 BC), Preclassic (2000 BC –250 AD, but containing only three sub-periods ie Early [2000 BC –1000 BC], Middle [1000 –400 BC], Late [400 BC –300 AD], with this last sub-period post-dating the containing period's end-date), Classic (250–900, but 'divided into two temporal sub-periods' ie Early [250–600] and Late [600–900], though '[b]ridging the Classic and the Postclassic periods is a span of time known to Mayanists as the Terminal Classic' ie 800–1000), and Postclassic (900–1521, with Early [900–1250] and Late [1250–1521] sub-periods) (McLellan 2020, pp. 3, 22–24, 28–36).

Short citations

  1. ↑ Graham 2011, p. 49.
  2. ↑ Burdon 1935, pp. 246, 248.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Graham 2011, p. 2, fig. 0.1.
  4. ↑ McLellan 2020, pp. 3, 22–24, 33–36.
  5. ↑ CIA 2022, sec. entitled 'Introduction'.
  6. 1 2 3 Britannica 2022, secs. entitled 'Introduction & Quick Facts' and 'History'.
  7. ↑ Rushton 2014, pp. 18, 44.
  8. 1 2 Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 98.
  9. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 156.
  10. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 153.
  11. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, pp. 98, 154.
  12. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, pp. 98, 155.
  13. 1 2 Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 157.
  14. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, pp. 98, 155–156.
  15. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, pp. 98, 156.
  16. ↑ Sharer & Traxler 2006, pp. 98, 153, 156.
  17. 1 2 Sharer & Traxler 2006, p. 98, tab. 2.2.
  18. 1 2 Adams & Macleod 2000a, p. 48, fig. 2.1.
  19. ↑ Adams & Macleod 2000a, pp. 205–206, 210, 213, 220.
  20. 1 2 Braswell 2022, pp. 6, 8, 11–12.
  21. ↑ Braswell 2022, pp. 89, 91, 93, 101.
  22. 1 2 Braswell 2022, pp. 211–212, 221.
  23. 1 2 Pearsall 2008, pp. 163–164.
  24. ↑ Pearsall 2008, p. 154, tab. 1.
  25. ↑ Pearsall 2008, pp. 210.
  26. ↑ Awe et al. 2021, p. 524, fig. 2.
  27. ↑ Stemp et al. 2021, pp. 417–419.
  28. ↑ Stemp et al. 2021, pp. 417–419, 422, 424.
  29. ↑ OED 2007a.
  30. ↑ OED 2007b.
  31. ↑ OED 2007c.
  32. 1 2 Nichols 2012, pp. 116, 118–126.
  33. 1 2 McLellan 2020, pp. 3, 22–24, 28–36.
  34. ↑ Rushton 2014, pp. 18–19, tab. 1.1.

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Colha, Belize is a Maya archaeological site located in northern portion of the country, about 52 km. north of Belize City, near the town of Orange Walk. The site is one of the earliest in the Maya region and remains important to the archaeological record of the Maya culture well into the Postclassic Period. According to Palma Buttles, “Archaeological evidence from Colha allows for the interpretation occupation from the Early Preceramic (3400-1900B.C.) to Middle Postclassic with population peaks occurring in the Late Preclassic and again in the Late Classic ”. These peaks in population are directly related to the presence of stone tool workshops at the site. Colha's proximity to an important source of high quality chert that is found in the Cenozoic limestone of the region and well traveled trade routes was utilized by the inhabitants to develop a niche in the Maya trade market that may have extended to the Greater Antilles. During the Late Preclassic and Late Classic periods, Colha served as a primary supplier of worked stone tools for the region. It has been estimated that the 36 workshops at Colha produced nearly 4 million chert and obsidian tools and eccentrics that were dispersed throughout Mesoamerica during the Maya era. This made it an important player in the trade of essential good throughout the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirrors in Mesoamerican culture</span>

The use of mirrors in Mesoamerican culture was associated with the idea that they served as portals to a realm that could be seen but not interacted with. Mirrors in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica were fashioned from stone and served a number of uses, from the decorative to the divinatory. An ancient tradition among many Mesoamerican cultures was the practice of divination using the surface of a bowl of water as a mirror. At the time of the Spanish conquest this form of divination was still practiced among the Maya, Aztecs and Purépecha. In Mesoamerican art, mirrors are frequently associated with pools of liquid; this liquid was likely to have been water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Maya civilization</span> Mesoamerican civilization

The history of Maya civilization is divided into three principal periods: the Preclassic, Classic and Postclassic periods; these were preceded by the Archaic Period, which saw the first settled villages and early developments in agriculture. Modern scholars regard these periods as arbitrary divisions of chronology of the Maya civilization, rather than indicative of cultural evolution or decadence. Definitions of the start and end dates of period spans can vary by as much as a century, depending on the author. The Preclassic lasted from approximately 3000 BC to approximately 250 AD; this was followed by the Classic, from 250 AD to roughly 950 AD, then by the Postclassic, from 950 AD to the middle of the 16th century. Each period is further subdivided:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archaic period in Mesoamerica</span> Prehistoric period in Mesoamerica

The Archaic period, also known as the preceramic period, is a period in Mesoamerican chronology that begins around 8000 BCE and ends around 2000 BCE and is generally divided into Early, Middle, and Late Archaic periods. The period is preceded by the Paleoindian period and followed by the Preclassic period. Scholars have found it difficult to determine exactly when the Paleoindian period ends and the Archaic begins, but it is generally linked with changing climate associated with the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene epochs, and absence of extinct Pleistocene animals. It is also generally unclear when the Archaic period ends and the Preclassic period begins, though the appearance of pottery, large-scale agriculture, and villages signal the transition.

The Archaic period is traditionally viewed as a long, transitional interval between the hunter-gatherers of the Paleoindian period and the proliferation of agricultural villages in the Preclassic. This period is known for the domestication of major Mesoamerican crops, the development of agriculture, and the beginning of sedentism. The major developments in agriculture and sedentism during this time allowed for the rise of complex societies in the region. These developments were not uniform throughout Mesoamerica and often differed regionally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preceramic Period in Belize</span> Pre-Columbian period in Mesoamerican history

The Preceramic Period of Belizean and Mesoamerican history began with the arrival of the first Palaeoindians during 20000 BC – 11000 BC, and ended with the Maya development of ceramics during 2000 BC – 900 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preclassic Period in Belize</span> Pre-Columbian period in Mesoamerican history

The Preclassic or Formative Period of Belizean, Maya, and Mesoamerican history began with the Maya development of ceramics during 2000 BC – 900 BC, and ended with the advent of Mayan monumental inscriptions in 250 AD.

Tzibte Yux, Tzib Te Yux, or Tzib'te Yux, is a Preceramic rock shelter and archaeological site in the Rio Blanco National Park, Toledo, Belize. It is thought to have been occupied by Palaeoindian settlers during 10500 BC – 6500 BC.

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