Lithic period in Mesoamerica

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Periods in Mesoamerican history
Paleo-Indian period before 8000 BCE Archaic period 8000 BCE–2000 BCE Preclassic period 2000 BCE–250 CE Classic period 250 CE–900 CE Postclassic period 900 CE–1521 CE Columbian era after 1521 CE See also List of archaeological periods (North America)
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In the History of Mesoamerica, the stage known as the Paleo-Indian period (or alternatively, the Lithic stage) is the era in the scheme of Mesoamerican chronology which begins with the very first indications of human habitation within the Mesoamerican region, and continues until the general onset of the development of agriculture and other proto-civilisation traits. The conclusion of this stage may be assigned to approximately 9000 BP (there are differences in opinion between sources which recognise the classification), and the transition to the succeeding Archaic period is not a well-defined one.

Its starting-point is a matter for some contention, as is the more general question of when human habitation in the Americas was first achieved. It is accepted by a significant number of researchers that the peopling of the Americas had occurred by circa 11,200 years ago.