List of archaeological periods

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Names for archaeological periods vary enormously from region to region. This is a list of the main divisions by continent and region. Dating also varies considerably and those given are broad approximations across wide areas.

The three-age system has been used in many areas, referring to the prehistory periods identified by tool manufacture and use, of Stone age, Bronze age and Iron age. Since these ages are distinguished by the development of technology, it is natural that the dates to which these refer vary in different parts of the world. In many regions, the term Stone age is no longer used, as it has been replaced by more specific geological periods. For some regions, there is need for an intermediate Chalcolithic period between the stone age and bronze age. For cultures where indigenous metal tools were in less widespread use, other classifications, such as the lithic stage, archaic stage and formative stage refer to the development of other types of technology and social organisation.

Historical periods refer to periods of human development after the development of writing. Historical records in whatever form tend to provide more political insight into the dominant nations, and hence allow categorization according to the ruling empires and cultures, such as Hellenistic, Roman, Viking. Inevitably these definitions of periods only relate to the region of that empire or culture.

The Industrial age or Modern era is generally taken to refer to post 1800. From this time, the industrial revolution which began in Western Europe had resulted in global trade as well as global empires.

Archaeological period articles - by Continent and Region

Continents	Regions	Periods Articles	Major Periods
Africa	North Africa	North Africa	Paleolithic Epipaleolithic Neolithic c7500 BC Iron Age Roman
Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa	Early Stone Age Middle Stone Age Late Stone Age Neolithic c4000 BC
Asia	Near East	Levantine	Stone age (2,000,000 BP - 3300 BCE) Bronze age (3300 BCE - 1200 BCE) Iron age (1200 BCE - 586 BCE) Historical periods (586 BCE - present)
	South Asia	South Asian Periods
	East Asia	East Asia Periods	Neolithic c. 7500 BC Pengtoushan culture
	North Asia	North Asia Periods
	Korea	Korean Periods	Paleolithic c. 40,000/30,000 - c. 8,000 BC Jeulmun pottery period c. 8,000 BC - 1500 BC Mumun pottery period c. 1500 BC - 300 BC Protohistoric period c. 300 BC - AD 300/400 Three Kingdoms of Korea c. AD 300/400 - AD 668
	Japan	Japan Periods	Paleolithic c. 100,000 - c. 10,000 BC Jomon period c. 10,000 BC - 300 BC Yayoi period c 300 BC - AD 250 Yamato period c. AD 250 - 710
Americas	North America	North America	Lithic/Paleo-Indian (pre 8000 BC) Archaic (c. 8000-1000 BC) Formative (c. 1000 BC - AD 500) Classic (c. AD 500 - 1200) Post-Classic (c.1200 - 1900)
	Mesoamerica	Mesoamerica	Lithic/Paleo-Indian (pre 8000 BC) Archaic (c. 8000-1000 BC) Formative (c. 1000 BC - AD 250) Classic ( AD 250 - 900) Post-Classic (AD 900 -1515)
	South America	South America (Peru)	Lithic/Paleo-Indian (pre c. 8200 BC) Archaic (c. 8200 - 1000 BC) Formative (c. 1000 BC - AD 500) Classic (c. AD 500 - 1200) Post-Classic (c. AD 1200 - 1900)
Australasia	Australia	Australia
	New Zealand	New Zealand	Archaic period (AD 1000 - 1350/1650) Classic period (AD 1350-1800) or (1650-1800 in eastern South Island)
	Oceania	Oceania
Europe	Northern Europe	Northern Europe	Mesolithic Neolithic Bronze Age Iron Age Roman Iron Age (c. AD 1 - 400) Germanic Iron Age (c. AD 400- 800) Viking Age (c. AD 800 - 1066) Medieval period (1066 - c. 1500) Post-medieval period (c. 1500 - c. 1800) Industrial/Modern
	Western Europe	Western Europe	Paleolithic Mesolithic Neolithic Iron Age Roman Early medieval period (c. AD 400- 800) Medieval period (800 - c. 1500) Post-medieval period (c. 1500 - c. 1800) Industrial/Modern
	South eastern Europe	South eastern Europe	Paleolithic Epipaleolithic Neolithic Chalcolithic Bronze Age Iron Age Hellenistic Roman Byzantine period