The first Mesoamerican civilizations began around 1200 BCE. These early civilizations emerged in different regions of Mesoamerica, which encompasses present-day Mexico and parts of Central America. Some of the earliest Mesoamerican cultures include the Olmec, who thrived from about 1200 to 400 BCE in the Gulf Coast region, and the Zapotec, who appeared around 500 BCE in the Oaxaca Valley. These civilizations laid the foundation for later Mesoamerican cultures like the Maya and Aztecs.
