This timeline gives a chronological listing of all historical time periods from prehistory to present day
Prehistory – 6 million years ago – 3600 BCE
Stone Age
All regions
3.4 million years ago – 2000 BCE
Ancient Mesopotamia
Area from Persian Gulf to Mediterranean Sea
4000 BCE – 2600 BCE
Ancient History – 3600 BCE – 500 CE
Bronze Age
All
3600 BCE – 600 BCE
3500 BCE – 2050 BCE
Indus Valley Civilisation
India
2600 BCE – 1800 BCE
2000 BCE – 1650 BCE
Shang Dynasty
China
1700 BCE – 1200 BCE
1550 BCE – 1069 BCE
Vedic Period
India
1500 BCE – 500 BCE
Zhou Dynasty
China
1200 BCE – 500 BCE
Iron Age
All regions
1200 BCE – 400 BCE
800 BCE – 400 BCE
Jomon Period
Japan
800 BCE – 400 BCE
Mahajanpadas
India
600 BCE – 300 BCE
509 BCE – 476 CE
Mayan Civilisation
Mexico
500 BCE – 900 CE
Yayoi Period
Japan
400 BCE – 300 CE
Moche Civilisation
Peru
100 CE – 700 CE
Coptic Period
Egypt
300 CE – 900 CE
Dark Ages – 500 CE – 1000 CE
Kofun Period
Japan
300 CE – 600 CE
Gupta Empire
North India
300 CE – 500 CE
410 CE – 1066 CE
Middle Ages – 1000 CE – 1500 CE
Srivijaya Period
Indonesia
600 CE – 1300 CE
Chenla Kingdom
Cambodia
630 CE – 802 CE
Kingdom of the Sunda
Indonesia
669 CE – 1579 CE
Golden Age of Islam
Middle East/Northern Africa
700 CE – 1300 CE
Nara Period
Japan
709 CE – 795 CE
Pala Empire
India/Pakistan
750 CE – 1159 CE
Kingdom of Mataram
Indonesia
752 CE – 1045 CE
793 CE – 1066 CE
Khmer Empire
Cambodia
802 CE – 1432 CE
Chimu Culture
Peru
900 CE – 1470 CE
Medieval Period
Europe
1000 CE – 1450 CE
Kediri Empire
Indonesia
1045 CE – 1221 CE
Ottoman Empire
Turkey
1299 CE – 1923 CE
Renaissance
Europe
1350 CE – 1600 CE
Age of Discovery
All regions
1400 CE – 1650 CE
Sengoku Period
Japan
1428 CE – 1521 CE
Aztec Empire
Mexico
1438 CE – 1533 CE
Inca Empire
Peru, colombia
1478 CE – 1605 CE
1485 CE – 1603 CE
Reformation
Europe
1517 CE – 1648 CE
Mughal Empire
India
1526 CE – 1857 CE
1558 CE – 1603 CE
Modern History – 1600 CE –
1603 CE – 1714 CE
Tokugawa Shogunate
Japan
1603 CE – 1868 CE
Age of Enlightenment
Europe
1650 CE – 1800 CE
1700 CE – 1900 CE
Georgian Period
United Kingdom
1714 CE – 1830 CE
1837 CE – 1901 CE
1901 CE – 1910 CE
1914 CE – 1918 CE
Inter War Years
All regions
1919 CE – 1939 CE
1939 CE – 1945 CE
Atomic Age
All regions
1945 CE – Present
1947 CE – 1991 CE
1957 CE – Present
Age of Information
All regions
1975 CE – Present
First Published 2016; Updated and republished Aug 27 2020 @ 7:00 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2016 – 2020). Historical Time Periods. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/historical-time-periods. Last accessed [date]