Olmec
Dec 24, 2015
Olmec
Olmec Civilization
Olmec Civilization
• Mesoamerica’s “mother culture”• 1200 B.C.E. in southern Mexico near the
Gulf Coast• hot & humid and covered with swamps
and jungle– 100 in of rainfall– flooding
• Abundant deposits of salt, tar, clay, rubber, and stone
Olmec Civilization
• Rivers= routes for transportation
• Flood plains =fertile land for farming
• Built thriving communities – oldest site is San Lorenzo 1150 B.C.
• San Lorenzo had large mounds, courtyards, pyramids and stone monuments
Olmec Civilization
• Buildings/Monuments included columns, altars, sculpted heads (heads may have represented particular rulers and could weigh as much as 44 tons).
• Question: How could the Olmec transport such heavy monuments without use of the wheel?
Olmec Civilization
• Olmec prayed to a variety of nature gods (animist)
• Worshipped the jaguar spirit– a powerful rain god– Others believe there
were several jaguar gods that represented the earth, fertility, and maize (major crop)
Olmec Civilization
Olmec Civilization
• Ceremonial centers where important rituals were performed
• Prosperous people that directed a large trading network throughout Mesoamerica– Goods traveled as far as Mexico City to the
north and Honduras to the south– Iron ore and stones transported from faraway
regions
Olmec Civilization
• Olmec Civilization collapsed – Some experts speculate that outside invaders
caused the destruction– Others believe that the Olmec may have
destroyed their own monuments upon death of their rulers
Olmec Contributions
• Influenced the Maya
• Art styles and jaguar motif seen in pottery and sculpture
• Copied urban design
• Ball games
• No evidence of writing but stone symbols related to glyphs