Period Name	Chronological Range	Region	Key Features
Upper Paleolithic	50,000 - 10,000 BCE	Worldwide	Artistic expression, advanced tool use, emergence of Homo sapiens.
Mesolithic	10,000 - 5,000 BCE	Europe and Near East	Transitional period, semi-nomadic lifestyles, increase in microliths.
Neolithic	10,000 - 4,500 BCE	Worldwide	Agriculture, permanent settlements, pottery, weaving.
Bronze Age	3300 - 1200 BCE	Near East, Europe, South Asia	Use of bronze, the rise of cities, trade networks.
Iron Age	1200 - 600 BCE	Worldwide	Iron metallurgy, the emergence of empires, complex societies.
Classical Antiquity	8th Century BCE - 5th Century CE	Mediterranean	Formation of empires, development of philosophy, written records.
Middle Ages	5th - 15th Century CE	Europe and parts of Asia	Feudalism, church dominance, the rise of kingdoms.
Renaissance	14th - 17th Century CE	Europe	Revival of classical learning, art, humanism, scientific advancements.
Industrial Revolution	18th - 19th Century CE	Worldwide	Mass production, urbanization, technological innovation.
Prehistoric	Before written records	Worldwide	Development of stone tools, early human behaviors.
Chalcolithic	4500 - 3500 BCE	Middle East and parts of Europe	Copper use, early forms of metallurgy, emergence of social hierarchies.
Early Bronze Age	3300 - 2100 BCE	North Africa and Eurasia	First urban centers, trade routes, religious structures.
Late Bronze Age	1600 - 1200 BCE	Eastern Mediterranean	Cultural exchanges through trade, collapse of regional powers.
Early Iron Age	1200 - 800 BCE	Mediterranean and Near East	Iron tools, rise of early states.
High Middle Ages	11th - 13th Century CE	Europe	Increased trade, study of classical antiquity, gothic architecture.
Late Middle Ages	14th - 16th Century CE	Europe	Black Death, emergence of modern nation-states, printing press.
Pre-Columbian	3000 BCE - 1492 CE	Americas	Diverse cultures, monumental architecture, complex societies.
Indus Valley Civilization	3300 - 1300 BCE	South Asia	Urban planning, social organization, early writing.
Chinese Neolithic	10,000 - 2000 BCE	China	Rice cultivation, village settlements, early pottery.
Roman Empire	27 BCE - 476 CE	Mediterranean and parts of Europe	Road networks, law and governance systems, architectural innovation.
Byzantine Period	330 - 1453 CE	Eastern Mediterranean	Continuation of Roman culture, Orthodox Christianity, arts.
Islamic Golden Age	8th - 14th Century CE	Middle East and parts of Europe	Advancements in science, mathematics, and philosophy.
Age of Discovery	15th - 17th Century CE	Worldwide	European exploration, colonization, globalization.
American Revolution	1765 - 1783 CE	North America	Colonial independence, formation of constitutional governance.
Victorian Era	1837 - 1901 CE	United Kingdom	Industrial progress, empire expansion, cultural shifts.
Postmodern Era	Late 20th Century - Present	Worldwide	Rejection of modernist norms, cultural pluralism, global communication.
Neolithic Revolution	10,000 - 2000 BCE	Worldwide	Transition from hunting-gathering to settled agriculture.
Stone Age	2.6 million years ago - 3000 BCE	Worldwide	Use of stone tools, basic social structures.
Hellenistic Period	323 - 30 BCE	Eastern Mediterranean	Spread of Greek culture, art, and philosophy after Alexander.
Prehistoric America	10,000 BCE - 1492 CE	Americas	Early hunter-gatherers, development of agriculture and complex societies.
Old Kingdom Egypt	2686 - 2181 BCE	Egypt	Pyramid construction, centralized state, Egyptian art.
New Kingdom Egypt	1550 - 1070 BCE	Egypt	Expansion, wealth, monumental architecture, pharaohs.
Aksumite Empire	100 - 940 CE	Northeast Africa	Trade empire, early Christianity, stelae construction.
Carolingian Renaissance	8th - 9th Century CE	Western Europe	Cultural revival under Charlemagne, preservation of knowledge.
Renaissance in Italy	14th Century - 16th Century CE	Italy	Artistic and intellectual revival, notable artists, humanism.
African Iron Age	600 BCE - 1000 CE	Sub-Saharan Africa	Iron technology, development of complex societies.
Baroque Era	1600 - 1750 CE	Europe	Dramatic art, architectural grandeur, scientific advancements.
Enlightenment	17th - 19th Century CE	Europe and Americas	Philosophical movement emphasizing reason and individualism.
Postcolonial Period	20th Century - Present	Worldwide	Decolonization, cultural identity movements, global interconnectedness.
Ancient China	2100 BCE - 221 BCE	China	Dynastic rule, philosophical developments, technological innovations.
Viking Age	793 - 1066 CE	Scandinavia and parts of Europe	Norse exploration, trade, and raiding.
Mesoamerican Era	1500 BCE - 1500 CE	Central America	Development of complex societies like the Maya and Aztec.
Middle Kingdom Egypt	2055 - 1650 BCE	Egypt	Consolidation of power, cultural flourishing, literature.
Sumerian Civilization	4500 - 1900 BCE	Mesopotamia	Development of cuneiform, city-states, ziggurats.
Iron Age Europe	800 - 1 BCE	Europe	Rise of Celtic tribes, trade networks, early settlements.
Roman Republic	509 - 27 BCE	Mediterranean	Political system development, conflicts, expansion.
Sioux Period	circa 1800 CE	North America	Complex tribal societies, resistance against colonization.
Ancient Greece	circa 800 - 300 BCE	Greece	Foundation of democracy, philosophy, Greek art.
Celtic Period	circa 600 BCE - 43 CE	Western Europe	Celtic tribes, intricate art, trade routes.
Indigenous Australian Cultures	Before 1788	Australia	Hunter-gatherer societies, Dreamtime stories, land management.
Babylonian Empire	1894 - 539 BCE	Mesopotamia	Legal codes, mathematics, astronomy.
Lapita Culture	1600 - 500 BCE	Oceania	Maritime trade, pottery, early Polynesian settlements.
Early Modern Period	1500 - 1800 CE	Worldwide	Transition from medieval to modern, exploration, scientific revolution.
Qing Dynasty	1644 - 1912 CE	China	Final imperial dynasty, cultural and scientific advancements.
Arab Caliphate	7th - 13th Century CE	Middle East and North Africa	Islamic expansion, cultural synthesis, science.
Saxony Period	5th - 8th Century CE	Germany	Migration period, early medieval kingdoms.
Shang Dynasty	1600 - 1046 BCE	China	Early Chinese writing and bronze age culture.
Tang Dynasty	618 - 907 CE	China	Cultural flourishing, expansion, trade via Silk Road.
Gupta Empire	c. 240 - 550 CE	India	Golden Age of India, advancements in mathematics and science.
Caribbean Arawak Taino	Pre-1492	Caribbean Islands	Agricultural societies, complex social hierarchies.
Hittite Empire	1600 - 1178 BCE	Anatolia	Advancements in law, warfare, and diplomacy.
Ottoman Empire	1299 - 1922 CE	Southeast Europe, Western Asia, North Africa	Cultural melting pot, trade routes, art.
Ancestral Puebloans	1000 BCE - 1300 CE	Southwest USA	Cliff dwellings, complex societies, agricultural practices.
Chavin Culture	900 - 200 BCE	Peru	Religious center, monumental architecture, art.
Feudal Japan	1185 - 1603 CE	Japan	Samurai culture, shogunates, isolationist policies.
Sassanian Empire	224 - 651 CE	Persia	Cultural revival, architecture, Zoroastrianism.
Vedic Period	1500 - 500 BCE	India	Formation of Hinduism, early Indian society, philosophical texts.
Minoan Civilization	2600 - 1400 BCE	Crete	Palatial centers, art, early writing systems.
Early Medieval Period	5th - 10th Century CE	Europe	Fall of the Western Roman Empire, development of feudal systems.
Vikings in North America	circa 1000 CE	North America	Norse exploration, trading posts, settlements.
Sumerian Period	circa 4500 - 1900 BCE	Mesopotamia	City-states, development of writing (cuneiform).
Mississippian Culture	circa 800 - 1600 CE	Southeast USA	Mound-building, complex societies, agriculture.
Prehistoric Japan	30,000 BCE - 300 CE	Japan	Jomon and Yayoi cultures, pottery, early agriculture.
Polynesian Expansion	1000 BCE - 1300 CE	Oceania	Maritime navigation, settlement of islands.
Olmec Civilization	1400 - 400 BCE	Mexico	Colossal heads, early writing and trade.
Qin Dynasty	221 - 206 BCE	China	Unification of China, Great Wall construction, legalism.
Zhou Dynasty	1046 - 256 BCE	China	Development of Confucianism, Mandate of Heaven.
Roman Britain	43 - 410 CE	Britain	Integration of Roman culture, urban centers, Hadrian's Wall.
Golden Age of Islam	8th - 14th Century CE	Middle East and North Africa	Cultural and intellectual advancements, trade flourishing.
The Reformation	16th Century CE	Europe	Religious reformation, emergence of Protestantism.
Neolithic Europe	6000 - 2000 BCE	Europe	Agricultural practices, megalithic structures.
Early South American Civilizations	1500 BCE - 500 CE	Andes Region	Complex social structures, religious beliefs, agriculture.
Western Han Dynasty	206 BCE - 9 CE	China	Expansion of territory, trade on Silk Road.
Late Bronze Age Greece	1600 - 1100 BCE	Greece	Mycenaean civilization, palace culture.
Prehistoric Siberia	circa 30,000 BCE - 500 CE	Siberia	Hunting-gathering societies, nomadic lifestyles.
Chola Dynasty	c. 300 BCE - 1279 CE	South India	Advancements in arts, architecture, maritime trade.
Age of Empires	15th - 20th Century CE	Worldwide	European colonialism, the establishment of trade empires.
Shang Dynasty	1600 - 1046 BCE	China	Bronze Age culture, ancestor worship, early writing.
Prehistoric Oceania	circa 3000 BCE - 1200 CE	Oceania	Migration, development of agricultural societies.
Emergence of City-States	3rd Millennium BCE	Mesopotamia	Urbanization, governance systems, trade networks.
Teotihuacan	100 BCE - 750 CE	Central Mexico	Urban center, pyramids, cultural exchange.
Neo-Assyrian Empire	911 - 609 BCE	Mesopotamia	Military achievements, library of Ashurbanipal.
Khmer Empire	802 - 1431 CE	Southeast Asia	Construction of Angkor Wat, advanced hydraulic engineering.
Chimu Culture	c. 900 - 1470 CE	Peru	Complex societies, metalwork, and agriculture.
Indigenous Californian Cultures	Pre-Contact	California	Diverse groups, complex societal structures, resource management.
Tekri Culture	3000 - 1500 BCE	Western India	Early urbanization, settlements, metallurgy.
Attachment Age,"6th - 2nd Century CE	Central Asia	Development of trade routes, nomadic societies.	NaN
Pushkin Era	1920 - 1940 CE	Russia	Cultural renaissance, literature.
Great Zimbabwe	1100 - 1450 CE	Southern Africa	Monumental stone ruins, trade networks.
Greenland Norse Settlements	10th - 15th Century CE	Greenland	Viking exploration, adaptations to Arctic environments.
Great Basin Cultures	Prehistoric - Present	Western USA	Hunter-gatherer societies, diverse adaptations.
Terracotta Army	210 BCE - 210 CE	China	Burial art from the Qin dynasty, large-scale crafting.
European Neolithic	Neolithic period	Europe	Distribution of farming, monumental architecture like Stonehenge.
Missouri Hopewell Culture	200 BCE - 500 CE	Midwestern USA	Mound building, extensive trade networks.
Pictish Culture	300 - 900 CE	Scotland	Symbol stones, complex society, interaction with Romans.
Bronze Age Scandinavia	1800 - 500 BCE	Scandinavia	Elder burial mounds, metalwork.
Edwardian Era	1901 - 1910 CE	United Kingdom	Cultural shifts, societal changes, early modernity.
Bantu Migrations	circa 1000 BCE - 500 CE	Sub-Saharan Africa	Spread of agriculture, language spread.
Carolingian Empire	800 - 888 CE	Western Europe	Cultural revival, unification under Charlemagne.
Mesopotamian Societies	3500 - 500 BCE	Mesopotamia	Invention of writing, monumental architecture.
Maori Culture	circa 1300 - Present	New Zealand	Indigenous peoples, rich oral traditions, resource management.
Amerindian Cultures	Pre-Columbian Era	North America	Cultural diversity, complex societies, early settlements.
Transitional Period	10,000 - 8,000 BCE	Worldwide	Shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural societies.
Prehistoric Norway	12,000 BCE - 800 CE	Norway	Cave paintings, early settlements, hunter-gatherer societies.
Old Norse Culture	circa 800 - 1300 CE	Scandinavia	Viking explorations, rich storytelling tradition.
Great Wall of China	7th Century BCE - 16th Century CE	China	Military fortifications, defense architecture.
Harappan Civilization	2600 - 1900 BCE	Indus Valley	Urban planning, advanced drainage systems, trade.
Chichen Itza	600 - 1200 CE	Mexico	Mayan city, cultural center, astronomical observations.
Phoenician Civilization	c. 1200 - 539 BCE	Mediterranean	Sea trade, alphabet development, city-states.
Bactrian Period	c. 3rd Century BCE - 4th Century CE	Central Asia	Cultural syncretism, trade routes like the Silk Road.
Qing Dynasty	1644 - 1912 CE	China	Last imperial dynasty, societal changes, opium wars.
Norwegian Independence	1814	Norway	Emergence of national identity, constitutional governance.
Saddle & Breach Period	circa 1910 - Present	Worldwide	Global conflicts, social changes.
Back to the Stone Age	Prehistoric Era	Worldwide	Reversions to primitive living due to climate or conflict.
Thracian Culture	600 BCE - 300 CE	Southeast Europe	Rich burial customs, unique artifacts.
Vedic to Mauryan Transition	500 BCE to 300 CE	India	Philosophical evolution, early state formation.
North American Colonization	16th - 18th Century CE	North America	Interactions between Europeans and Indigenous peoples.
Neo-liberal Era	Late 20th Century - Present	Worldwide	Economic globalization, technological advancements.
Early Egyptian Dynasties	3100 - 2686 BCE	Egypt	Formation of the state, pyramids construction.
Minoan to Mycenaean Transition	2000 - 1200 BCE	Greece	Decline of Minoan civilization, rise of Mycenaean.
Romanesque Period	circa 1000 - 1150 CE	Europe	Architecture, art, and growth of church influence.
Harappan to Vedic Transition	1900 - 1500 BCE	Indus Valley to North India	Cultural assimilation, new socio-political structures.
Gothic Era	12th - 16th Century CE	Europe	Architectural styles, cathedral constructions, religious fervor.
Fjord Culture	Prehistoric Era	Scandinavia	Maritime adaptations, subsistence lifestyles.
Mongol Empire	1206 - 1368 CE	Eurasia	Largest contiguous empire, cultural exchanges, trade.
Aegean Bronze Age	3000 - 1100 BCE	Greece	Cultural florescence, early writing, major trade networks.
Age of Enlightenment	17th - 19th Century CE	Europe	Emphasis on reason, scientific advancement, philosophical discourse.
Early Republic Era	1776 - 1815 CE	USA	Founding of the nation, development of democratic principles.
Santa Cruz Culture	Prehistoric Era	California	Developed understanding of local ecology and sustainable practices.
Yamato Period	c. 300 - 710 CE	Japan	Formation of the Japanese state, cultural developments.
Aztec Empire	1428 - 1521 CE	Mexico	Advancements in mathematics, architecture, comprehensive social structure.
Sutton Hoo	7th Century CE	England	Anglo-Saxon burial, rich grave goods, historical significance.
Neolithic British Isles	4000 - 2000 BCE	British Isles	Construction of megaliths, farming.
Salvadoran Civilizations	circa 1000 BCE - 1500 CE	El Salvador	Development of complex societies, pottery, agriculture.
Vietnamese Prehistory	circa 3000 BCE	Vietnam	Development of agriculture, bronze working.
Beringian Cultures	20,000 - 10,000 BCE	Siberia and North America	Early human migration into the Americas through Beringia.
Trans-Saharan Trade	circa 8th Century - Present	North Africa	Exchange of goods across the Sahara, cultural exchanges.
Balkan Bronze Age	3000 - 1000 BCE	Balkans	Ceramic development, regional trade networks.
Angkor Period	802 - 1431 CE	Cambodia	Advanced irrigation, monumental architecture.
Zaragoza Strip	1800 - 1900 CE	Spain	Urban and economic development, modern advancements.
Unified India	circa 350 - 500 CE	India	Cultural consolidation, spread of Buddhism.
Polar Cultures	circa 3000 BCE - Present	Arctic	Adaptations to extreme environments, hunting-gathering societies.
Earliest Humans	circa 2.5 million years ago - 10,000 BCE	Worldwide	Homo habilis to Homo sapiens emergence, basic tool use.
Harappan Period	3300 - 1300 BCE	Indus Valley	Urban civilization marked by advanced engineering.
Pre-Contact Hawaiians	300 CE - 1778 CE	Hawaii	Complex society, agricultural practices, voyaging traditions.
Missouri Mound Builders	1000 BCE - 200 CE	Midwestern USA	Mound construction, trade networks, agricultural societies.
Chaco Canyon	900 - 1150 CE	Southwest USA	Cultural center for Pueblo culture, large dwellings.
Globular Amphora Culture	ca. 4100 - 2900 BCE	Central Europe	Neolithic burial traditions, pottery styles.
Benin Kingdom	1180 - 1897 CE	West Africa	Political organization, cultural richness, art.
Burial Mounds of Ohio	1000 BCE - 500 CE	Ohio	Monumental earthworks related to ancient Native American societies.
Archaic Greece	circa 800 - 500 BCE	Greece	Foundation of city-states, emergence of democracy.
Peoples of the Andes	Prehistoric - Present	Andes Region	Rich cultural heritage, terracing agriculture.
Neolithic Island Cultures	4000 BCE - 2000 BCE	Island Regions	Development of unique languages and cultures.
Sumer to Babylon Transition	2000 - 1500 BCE	Mesopotamia	Rise of Babylon, cultural exchanges.
Waikato Culture	Prehistoric Era	New Zealand	Early Māori customs, farming practices.
Warring States Period	475 - 221 BCE	China	Political fragmentation, philosophical developments.
Prehistoric Baltic Region	3000 - 1200 BCE	Baltic Sea Region	Non-agricultural societies, cultural artifacts.
Iron Age in Africa	circa 500 BCE - 200 CE	Africa	Introduction of iron technology, social changes.
Rustic Era	Late 18th Century - Early 19th Century	Europe	Emergence of rural cultures, simple living.
Tribal America	circa 300 BCE - 1500 CE	North America	Tribal governance, diverse cultures.
Steppes Culture	ca. 2000 BCE - Present	Eurasian Steppe	Nomadic lifestyle, pastoralism, cultural exchanges.
Civilization of Peru	circa 1200 - 1400 CE	Peru	Cultural exchange networks, monumental constructions.
Prehistoric Brittany	Neolithic - Early Iron Age	Brittany, France	Megalithic constructions, burial traditions.
Transitional Egyptian Period	1050 - 332 BCE	Egypt	Decline of pharaonic power, invasions.
Norse in Ireland	c. 795 - 1169 CE	Ireland	Viking invasions, settlements, cultural exchange.
Neolithic Architectural Cultures	4000 - 2000 BCE	Worldwide	Development of ceremonial architecture, settlements.
Titular Kingdoms of the Maya	Pre-Columbian Era	Mesoamerica	Political power structures, cultural richness.
Bosnian Pyramids	Prehistoric Era	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Construction of ancient pyramids, controversies.
Caddo Culture	600 - 1800 CE	Southern USA	Trade networks, mound-building societies.
New World Civilizations	1492 - 1600 CE	Americas	Diverse indigenous cultures, early colonialism.
Post Classic Mesoamerican Civilizations	900 - 1521 CE	Central Mexico	Cultural exchanges, urban centers post-Mayans.
Seafaring Cultures of the North	500 BCE - 1500 CE	Northern Europe	Maritime trade, settlements, exploration.
Stone Circles of the British Isles	2900 BCE - 1500 BCE	British Isles	Constructed for ritualistic purposes, astronomical alignments.
Latvian Bronze Age	1800 - 500 BCE	Baltic Region	Trade routes, emergence of social hierarchy.
Caral Civilization	circa 3000 - 1800 BCE	Peru	Oldest known civilization in the Americas, complex society.
Antiquity in Iraq	5000 BCE - 600 CE	Iraq	Sumarian, Akkadian, Babylonian civilizations.
East African Civilization	1000 BCE - 1500 CE	East Africa	Trade interactions with Arabs, Bantu migrations.
History of Ancient Rome	753 BCE - 476 CE	Rome	Political evolution, technological advancements, cultural practices.
Culture of the Cirripedia	500 BCE - 100 CE	Society throughout Asia	Aquatic societies, early earthworks.
Emergence of Buddhism	500 BCE - 0 CE	India	Philosophical movements, influence on culture.
Southeast Asian Empires	500 - 1500 CE	Southeast Asia	Cultural revolutions, trade routes.
Ancient Israel	1000 BCE - 100 CE	Israel	Development of Judaism, cultural identity.
Merchant Cities of Venice	1000 - 1500 CE	Italy	Cultural richness, trade networks.
Campagne Culture	500 BCE - 500 CE	France	Social organization, military structures.
Velvet Revolution Era	1968 - 1993 CE	Czech Republic	Cultural awakening, political transitions.
Bulgarian Kingdom	681 - 1396 CE	Bulgaria	Early Slavic kingdoms, cultural exchanges.
Scythian Period	800 - 300 BCE	Eurasia	Nomadic tribes, significant cultural influence.
Fertile Crescent Civilizations	9000 - 500 BCE	Middle East	Origins of agriculture, early cities.
Southerly American Cultures	Prehistoric - Present	South America	Indigenous development, agriculture.
Mesolithic/Neolithic Transition	5000 - 3500 BCE	Northwestern Europe	Technological advances, settlement patterns.
Hieroglyphic Cultures of Egypt	3100 - 300 BCE	Egypt	Development of writing, religious practices.
Art Deco Era	1920 - 1940 CE	Worldwide	Artistic movement, architectural uniqueness.
Cystic Fibrosis Era	1950 - Present	Worldwide	Medical advancements, patient care development.
Pre-galactic Civilizations	2000 BCE - 300 CE	Various Cultures	Cultural development predating known history.
Yugoslavia Era	1946 - 1992 CE	Balkans	Cultural richness, conflicts leading to dissolution.
Transatlantic Slave Trade Era	16th - 19th Century CE	Transatlantic	Human movement, social and economic changes.
Silk Road Era	2nd Century BCE - 14th Century CE	Eurasia	Cultural exchanges, trade networks.
Nationalism Movements	19th - 20th Century CE	Worldwide	Rise of nation-states, ethnic identities.
Sumer to Babylon Transition Period	2000 - 1500 BCE	Mesopotamia	Cultural transitions, advancements in governance.
Woman's Rights Movement	19th - 20th Century CE	Worldwide	Cultural shifts towards gender equality.
Modernist Movement	Late 19th - Mid 20th Century	Worldwide	Cultural rethinking of art, literature, and philosophy.