|
200| c. 400 BC–AD c. 250 | Central America [everyday life] | The Late Formative (or pre-Classic) period of Mayan culture takes place in Mexico. By 400 BC, large structures have been built at several sites in the tropical lowland jungle. In the highlands, people begin to put up large clay platforms, some the basis for temples and others for elite houses, flanking open plazas. | | c. 200 BC–AD c. 200 | South America [religion] | During this period the Nazca Lines are drawn in the desert along the south coast of Peru. These are enormous stylized outlines of animals, including a monkey, whale, spider, and hummingbird, and sets of parallel lines, some as long as 20 km/12 mi. They are believed to be a development of Chavín de Huantar art; they may have had religious significance, or they may have been connected with astronomy. | | c. 100–c. 200 | Central America [town planning] | Great building projects are carried out in the pre-Toltec city of Teotihuacán in the Mexican Basin. A great central avenue is laid out, now known as the Street of the Dead. The Temple of the Sun is also completed, dominating the Street of the Dead; at 65 m/216 ft, it is the highest pyramid in Mexico. Another slightly smaller pyramid, to the Moon, is also constructed. Twenty further temples line the avenue. | | 200–700 | Central America [statistics and demography] | The Zapotec site of Monte Albán in Central America is at its peak in this period. It may have had 30,000 or more inhabitants. It is the centre of a complex of public buildings, temples, and dwellings that cover 40 sq km/15 sq mi. | | c. 200 | India [Buddhism] | The Indian Buddhist monk Nagarjuna expounds the Madhayamika (Middle Path) of Buddhism. Arguing that all worldly thought is empty (sunya), he advocates a middle way which will lead to a realization of the Buddha nature beyond being and nonbeing. | | c. 200 | Africa [everyday life] | The Nok culture of west Africa (modern Nigeria) disappears. From c. 900 BC, the Nok had created a remarkable range of terracotta heads and figures, the earliest surviving sculptures of sub-Saharan Africa. | | 200 | [maths] | The Greek astronomer and mathematician Claudius Ptolemy produces many important geometrical results with applications in astronomy. | | 200 | Japan [political events] | The Japanese state of Yamato is founded, based around the port of Osaka. It soon takes in much of the island of Honshu. The tombs of the first emperors are protected by terracotta figures, as in China. On the other islands indigenous groups remain independent and follow a traditional way of life, such as the Ainu of Hokkaido. | | 200 | Japan, Korea [political events] | The Japanese warrior empress, Jingu, invades and subdues part of Korea. |
How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
?Sign in  |
|---|
|
|
|