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The Olmecs are generally considered to be the
ultimate
ancestor of all subsequent Mesoamerican
civilisations.
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.
However, the consolidation of their city-states led
to notable
cultural influence far beyond their heartland, and
throughout
the Mesoamerican region. It would appear that
the Olmec
style became synonymous with elite status in
other
(predominantly highland) groups, with evidence
for exchange
of artefacts 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.
The term “Olmecoid” refers to those unknown
cultures that
lived on the periphery of the Olmec and were
highly
influenced by their neighbor. As such, Olmecoid
works of art
reflect stylistic tendencies characteristic of the
greater Olmec
culture, albeit mixed with their own indigenous
qualities.In
the Pre-Columbian world, old age and its
complications were treated as a natural part of
existence. Even the gods aged in a manner
similar to their mortal counterparts. This
fascinating vessel shows a bearded older man
who bends forward clutching his neck and belly
as if to indicate the source of his pain. The
vessel from which he grows so organically
perhaps held an offering meant to win a cure
from the gods. Civilization has made many
advances since this vase was new, but on
essential levels the cycle of human life has
changed little.
- (PF.1899)
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