This period is highlighted by three distinct cultures. It is one of the oldest cultures in Latin America and there is extensive evidence of it being highly advanced in agriculture, textiles and ceramics. The finds in the latter category is characterized by incised and excised decorations, smoked finishes and vessels of both globular and pointed design. Many of these are extremely detailed, particularly their heads and adornments. It overlaps the late Valdivia culture and adapts certain aspects of this culture.
Bottles feature long necks and figurines diminish in importance.
Human representations usually have flat faces and coffee bean shaped eyes. The significance of the Machalilla culture is that its artistic techniques appear to have subsequently spread throughout Latin and Central America, appearing in more distant areas at a significantly later time. At its height, artistic development was at its fullest, as evinced by a number of new and unusual artistic techniques which evolved from the cultures which preceeded it. Of particular importance are ceramic pieces of a utilitarian and ceremonial nature. Natural forces are heavily represented in archetypal representations of animals, vegetables and fruits which are incorporated into the shape of vessels such as urns, bowls and particularly, whistling bottles .