Preclassic period

(noun)

Also known as the Formative period, it dates roughly from as early as 1500 BCE to about 400 BCE.

Related Terms

Examples of Preclassic period in the following topics:

  • Colossal Heads of the Olmec

    • The first major Mesoamerican art, that of the Olmec, emerged during the Preclassic period along the Gulf of Mexico.
    • While Olmec figurines are found abundantly in sites throughout the Formative period, monumental works of basalt sculpture, including colossal heads, altars, and seated figures are the most recognizable feature of Olmec culture.
    • Most have been dated to the Early Preclassic (or Formative) period (1500–1000 BCE) with some to the Middle Preclassic (1000–400 BCE) period.

  • Architecture of the Maya

    • The Maya civilization which had emerged during the late Preclassic period (250 BCE-250 CE), reached its peak in the southern lowlands of Guatemala during the Classic period (250-900 CE), and shifted to northern Yucatan during the Postclassic period (900-1521 CE).
    • In Palenque, Mexico a prominent city of the Classic period, the major buildings are grouped on high ground.
    • The Palace's Observation Tower with mansard roof, Palenque, Mexico, Late Classic period
    • The Great Ball Court, Chichen Itza, Mexico Late Classic period, 551' x 230'
    • Describe the characteristic style and functional elements of Maya architecture in the Classic and Postclassic periods.

  • Thai Buddhist Sculpture

    • The history of Thai Buddhist sculpture can be divided into three broad phases: the Dwaravati period, the Sukhothai period, and the Ayutthaya period.
    • The history of Buddhist sculpture in Thailand until the 18th century can be divided into three broad phases: the Dwaravati period, the Sukhothai period, and the Ayutthaya period.
    • Three important styles of portraying the Buddha emerged during the Dwaravati period:
    • The period was characterized by juxtaposed rows of Buddha figures.
    • Gilded sculptures of the Buddha became popular during the Ayutthaya period.

  • The Third Intermediate Period

    • The Third Intermediate Period of Ancient Egypt last from 1070 BC up to the foundation of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty in 664 BC.
    • The period encompassed the 21st through 25th Dynasties, and lasted until the foundation of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty by Psamtik I in 664 BC.
    • The period was one of decline and political instability, marked by division of the state for much of the period and conquest and rule by foreigners.
    • The temple network become a dominant sphere in this period following the decentralization and weakness of the royal authority.
    • Evaluate the importance of the temple network during the Third Intermediate Period in Egyptian history.

  • Grave Goods in the Kofun Period

    • The Kofun period is the oldest era of recorded history in Japan and is characterized by its earthen burial mounds.
    • The Kofun period is the oldest era of recorded history in Japan, dating from around 250 to 538 CE.
    • It followed the Yayoi period in Japanese history; the Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period.
    • The Kofun period is distinguished from the following Asuka period by several cultural differences.
    • Daisen Kofun, the largest of the earthen burial mounds from the Kofun period in Japan.

  • Picasso

    • Picasso's work is often categorized into periods.
    • While the names of many of his later periods are debated, the most commonly accepted periods in his work are the Blue Period (1901–1904), the Rose Period (1905–1907), the African-influenced Period (1908–1909), Analytic Cubism (1909–1912), and Synthetic Cubism (1912–1919).
    • Many paintings of gaunt mothers with children date from this period.
    • The generally upbeat and optimistic mood of paintings in this period is reminiscent of the 1899–1901 period (just prior to the Blue Period) and 1904 is considered a transitional year between the two periods.
    • Formal ideas developed during this period lead directly into the Cubist period that followed.

  • Introduction to Ancient Egyptian Art

    • The Prehistory of Egypt spans the period of earliest human settlement to the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt in ca. 3100 BCE, beginning with King Menes/Narmer.
    • The Predynastic Period is traditionally equivalent to the Neolithic period, beginning ca. 6000 BCE and including the Protodynastic Period (Naqada III).
    • The Predynastic period is generally divided into cultural periods, each named after the place where a certain type of Egyptian settlement was first discovered.
    • While the Old Kingdom was a period of internal security and prosperity, it was followed by a period of disunity and relative cultural decline referred to by Egyptologists as the First Intermediate Period.
    • The New Kingdom followed the Second Intermediate Period and was succeeded by the Third Intermediate Period.

  • The Minoans

    • The Protopalatial period of Minoan civilization (1900 to 1700 BCE) and the Neopalatial Period (1700-1450 BCE) saw the establishment of administrative centers on Crete and the apex of Minoan civilization, respectively.
    • The Protopalatial Period is considered the civilization's second phase of development, lasting from 1900 to 1700 BCE.
    • The period ended with a cataclysmic event, perhaps an earthquake or an invasion, which destroyed the palace centers.
    • During this period, Minoan trade increased; during this period the Minoans were considered to rule the Mediterranean trading routes between Greece, Egypt, Anatolia, the Near East, and perhaps even Spain.
    • Summarize the key elements of the Minoan Propalatial and Neopalatial periods.

  • Joseon Ceramics

    • Generally, the ceramics of this dynasty are divided into the early period (roughly 1300–1500), middle period (1500–1700), and late period (1700–1910).
    • In the early period, wares were evolved alongside Chinese lines in terms of color, shape, and technique.
    • Ceramics from the Joseon period differed from other periods because artists felt that each piece of art deserved its own uniquely cultivated personality.
    • The middle period was marked by the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592, during which entire villages of Korean potters were forcibly relocated to Japan.
    • White porcelains were preferred and praised more than any other porcelains during the Joseon period.

  • Kanō School Painting in the Edo Period

    • The Kanō School, which had a naturalistic style, was the dominant style of the Edo period (1603 - 1868).
    • The Kanō School (狩) was the dominant style of painting during the Edo period.
    • Many of the works during this period combined the forceful quality of work from the earlier Momoyama period with the tranquil depiction of nature and more refined use of color typical of the current Edo period.
    • By the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji period (1868), the Kanō School had divided into many different branches.
    • Describe the defining characteristics of the Kano School during the Edo Period, and distinguish it from literati painting