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The Olmecs are generally considered to
be the
ultimate ancestors of all subsequent
Mesoamerican civilisations. Thriving
between c.
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
many permanent settlements. Their
influence,
both cultural and political, extended
far beyond
their boundaries, and their ceramics
enjoyed a
particularly wide distribution. The
exotic nature
of Olmec designs became synonymous with
elite
status in other (predominantly highland)
groups,
with evidence for exchange of artefacts
in both
directions. Other than their art, they
are credited
with the foundations of writing systems
(the
loosely defined Epi-Olmec period, c. 500
BC), the
first use of the zero – so instrumental
in the
Maya long count vigesimal calendrical
system –
and they also appear to have been the
originators
of the famous Mesoamerican ballgame so
prevalent among later cultures in the
region.
The art form for which the Olmecs are
best
known, the monumental stone heads
weighing
up to forty tons, are generally believed
to depict
kingly leaders or possibly ancestors.
Other
symbols abound in their stylistic
repertoire,
including several presumably 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
tantalising.
Technically, these include all non-
secular items,
of which there is a fascinating array.
The best-
known forms are jade and ceramic figures
and
celts that depict men, animals and
fantastical
beasts with both anthropomorphic and
zoomorphic characteristics. Their size
and
general appearance suggests that they
were
domestically- or institutionally-based
totems or
divinities. The quality of production is
astonishing, particularly if one
considers the
technology available, the early date of
the pieces,
and the dearth of earlier works upon
which the
Olmec sculptors could draw. Some pieces
are
highly stylised, while others
demonstrate striking
naturalism with deliberate expressionist
interpretation of some facial features
(notably
down-turned mouths and slit eyes) that
can be
clearly seen in the current figure.
- (PF.0273)
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