In 1862, a colossal stone head was discovered near the Gulf of Mexico. However, no one really paid attention to it until the mid 1900s. More heads popped up in more places. It was only then that we discovered the Olmec culture. They are the earliest Mesoamerican civilization that we know of.
Olmec culture flourished circa 1500 B.C. to 400 B.C. They left behind opulent artwork which can be dated to this time period. They lived in the lowlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. This is a tropical area, where there are many rubber trees.
The Olmec people practiced certain rituals and sports. Some of their practices may seem harsh to us today. Others might be more familiar. For example, the Olmec played a ball game using balls made of rubber. Many civilizations that followed them shared these practices.
The Olmec had 8 main divinities who were related to nature. There were divine beings associated with the rain, maize, and animals. They worshipped a bird god who symbolized leadership. Scholars postulate that the religion involved rulers and shamans. Olmec society may have combined politics with religion.
Stone art is the hallmark of Olmec culture. They used a variety of stones to create art. This art comprises much of our evidence for their lives. It is how we know of their religion. It is how we know of their politics. It is how we know of their trade.
Most of the Olmec people lived in small villages. Their major cities belonged only to a select few. As in many ancient civilizations, only the elite enjoyed the prestige. Only the elite enjoyed the power. Only the elite enjoyed the progress.
The Olmec produced rubber and traded it with other peoples in their region. The name "Olmec" is an Aztec word meaning "rubber people." It's unlikely that this is how they referred to themselves. Like many other ancient civilizations, they didn't leave written records. This is why we don't know what the Olmec called themselves. They also traded jade, which is found in the south. They traded obsidian, a volcanic rock found in the northern highlands. Trade helped the culture grow and dominate the region.
The colossal heads that were first discovered in 1862 demonstrate the importance of leadership. They were made of massive basalt boulders. They weigh from 6 to 50 tonnes and some are up to 3.4 metres (11.2 feet) tall! Like obsidian, basalt is a volcanic rock from the highlands. These colossal heads depict different faces with different headdresses. Their features show careful craftsmanship. They likely show important Olmec leaders. Most importantly, how did the builders move these boulders?
Evidence for the existence of Olmec civilization drops off after 400 B.C. It seems as if they disappeared from the area over the next 50 years. We don't know why the Olmec culture ended. The reasons have been buried deeper than the boulders. Some people believe that volcanoes made the area unlivable. Others believe that the Olmec people moved away when resources became sparse. Why do you think the culture ended?
The Olmecs left behind a colossal legacy. But evidence of their lives has been sparse until recently. What else will we unearth from their lives? Who were the groups they interacted with? How will this influence our understanding of the past?