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The Olmecs are generally considered to be the
ultimate ancestor of all subsequent
Mesoamerican civilizations. Thriving between
about 1200 and 400 BC, their base was the
tropical lowlands of south central Mexico, an
area characterized by swamps punctuated by
low hill ridges and volcanoes. Here the Olmecs
practiced advanced farming techniques and
constructed permanent settlements, including
San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, La Venta, Tres
Zapotes, Laguna de los Cerros, and La Mojarra.
However, the consolidation of their city-states
led to notable cultural influence far beyond
their heartland, and throughout the
Mesoamerican region. This was confirmed in
2005 with the use of NAA (Neutron Activation
Analysis) and petrography to demonstrate the
spread of Olmec ceramic vessels. It would
appear that the Olmec style became
synonymous with elite status in other
(predominantly highland) groups, with
evidence for exchange of artifacts in both
directions. A non-literate group, the Olmecs
nevertheless paved the way for the
development of writing systems in the loosely
defined Epi- Olmec period (c. 500 BC). Further
innovations include arguably the first use of
the zero, so instrumental in the Maya long
count vigesimal calendrical system. They also
appear to have been the originators of the
famous Mesoamerican ballgame so prevalent
among later cultures in the region, and either
retained or invented several religious symbols
such as the feathered serpent and the rain
spirit, which persisted in subsequent and
related cultures until the middle ages.
Comparatively little is known of their magico-
religious world, although the clues that we
have are tantalizing. The art forms for which
the Olmecs are best known, the monumental
stone heads weighing up to forty tons, are
generally assumed to pertain to some form of
kingly leader or possibly an ancestor. The
smaller jade figures and celts are believed to
be domestically or institutionally based totems
or divinities. The quality of production is
astonishing, particularly if one considers the
technology available for production, the early
date of the pieces, and the dearth of earlier
works upon which the Olmec sculptors could
draw. Some pieces are highly stylized, while
others demonstrate striking naturalism with
interpretation of some facial features (notably
down-turned mouths and slit eyes).
- (CK.0635)
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