Several chronologies in thearchaeology of the Americas include aFormative Period orFormative stage etc. It is often sub-divided, for example into "Early", "Middle" and "Late" stages.

The Formative is the third of five stages defined byGordon Willey andPhilip Phillips in their 1958 bookMethod and Theory in American Archaeology.^[1] Cultures of the Formative Stage are supposed to possess the technologies ofpottery,weaving, and developedfood production; normally they are very largely reliant onagriculture. Social organization is supposed to involve permanent towns and villages, as well as the first ceremonial centers. Ideologically, an early priestly class ortheocracy is often present or in development.^[2]

Sometimes also referred to as the "Pre-Classic stage", it followed theArchaic stage and was superseded by theClassic stage.^[3]

1. TheLithic stage
2. TheArchaic stage
3. TheFormative stage
4. TheClassic stage
5. ThePost-Classic stage

The dates, and the characteristics of the period called "Formative" vary considerably between different parts of the Americas. The typical broad use of the terms is as follows below.

In the classification ofNorth American chronology, the Formative Stage or "Neo-Indian period" is a term applied to theoretical North Americancultures that existed between 1000 BC and 500 AD. There are alternative classification systems, and this ranking would overlap what others classify as theWoodland period cultures.

The Formative, Classic and post-Classic stages are sometimes incorporated together as the Post-archaic period, which runs from 1000 BC to the present. Sites and cultures include:Adena,Old Copper,Oasisamerica,Woodland,Fort Ancient,Hopewell tradition andMississippian cultures.

InMesoamerican chronology the Preclassic or Formative runs from about 2000 BC to 250 AD, covering all theOlmec culture, and the early stages of theMaya culture andZapotec civilization.

In theperiodization of pre-Columbian Peru the Formative Period divides into 1) the Initial Period, from 1800 BC – 900 BC (sites & cultures:Early Chiripa,Kotosh culture,Cupisnique,Las Haldas,Sechin Alto), and 2) the Early Horizon or Formative Period, 900 BC – 200 BC, (Chavín,Late Chiripa,Paracas,Chankillo).

• Category:Archaeology in the Americas
• Mound Builders
• Southeastern Ceremonial Complex

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• Formative period in the Americas
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• 1950s neologisms
• Archaeological cultures of North America
• Pre-Columbian cultures
• 2nd millennium BC
• 1st millennium BC
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• 20th-century BC establishments
• 5th-century disestablishments

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