Samples in the cordierite primary crystallization field were prepared in the CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 quaternary system by sol-gel techniques, using both polymeric and colloidal gels. Dried gels were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis and electron microscopy. The crystallization of gel-like glass from both kinds of gels, as a function of temperature was followed by X-ray diffraction. Cordierite was detected as the only final crystalline phase, although some other crystalline phases, different for each kind of gel, were observed in the pathway reaction. The polymorphic modification of cordierite detected was pseudohexagonal, because no evidence of splitting was observed.