OLMEC: 1500-400 B.C.E.
OLMEC: BACKGROUND
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTqgksmmAuY
Period: 1500-400 B.C.E.
1st earliest known civilization in Mesoamerica
Olmec is a Nahuatl word for “Rubber People"
Area: 100-mile sq. of the Gulf Coast
Inhabited tropical lowlands Southcentral Mexico
Heartland: Vera Cruz, Tabasco & La Venta
Area called “mother culture”
GEOGRAPHICAL RESOURCES DIS/ADVANTAGES
Heartland was Gulf lowlands, e.g. Vera Cruz
Swampy lowlands, low hills, ridges, & volcanoes
The Tuxtla Mountains
Had rich alluvial soil
Coatzacoalcos River
ECONOMY
OLMEC ECONOMY
ECONOMY
Agriculture:
Crops: maize, beans, squash
Animals: rabbits, deer, iguana, dogs
Used irrigation, canals, terracing DESCRIBE
Challenges of agric: no plow & pack animals
Long distance trade of 200-400 km
Imported obsidian & jade from El Chayal, Puebla
Exported rubber, cacoa, pottery, etc.
TERRACING OBSIDIAN TOOLS JADE
GOVERNMENT/POLITICS
GOVERNMENT/POLITICS OLMEC RULER
Loose confederation of states
With individual rulers
Had centralized ritual/ceremonial centers
Elites used labor of lower classes PROJECTS?
POSSIBILITY OF TERRITORIAL INFLUENCE:
1. Olmecs’ artifacts found elsewhere
E.g. ceramics in Tlatilco TERRITORIAL INFLUENCE
2. Long distance trade with El Chayal, etc.
Imported obsidian & jade
Exported rubber, cacoa, pottery
3. Olmec Heads found beyond core area
CEREMONIAL CENTERS
CEREMONIAL CENTERS
OLMEC HEADS
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS - CHARACTERISTICS
Colossal heads, ball parks, pyramids USES?
Artificial lagoons; pavements
Huge pits for ritual sacrifice
Centers had residents & non-residents
Surrounded by rural areas – ROLES?
3 CEREMONIAL SITES CEREMONIAL CENTRE
San Lorenzo 1500-900 BCE
950 BCE destruction of monuments WHY?
La Venta 900-400 BCE
Period of wealth and power
Built Great Pyramid 34 m (112 ft) high GREAT PYRAMID
Tres Zapotes 400-100 BCE
Period of decline
SIGNIFICANCE CEREMONIAL CENTRES?
OLMEC HEADS 800-400 BCE
1ST discovered 1850s
17 found to date
San Lorenzo = 10
La Venta = 4
Tres Zapotes = 2
Panchola Cobata =1
No two heads are alike WHY?
Solid stone; height: 5-11ft
Weight: 20-40 tons; neckless/bodiless
Wore a round close-fitting helmet
Broad/flat nose; thick lips
Stern-looking face
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uvMJugf90M HEADS
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION OF HEADS
Used Volcanic basalt e.g. from Tuxtlas Mts.
1,500 laborers took 3-4 months IMPLICATIONS?
To drag huge basalt stones to workshops
By land, or floated on drafts
Carvers/sculptors used stone-hammers to carve
*DISCUSS SIGNIFICANCE OF OLMEC HEADS
SOCIETY & RELIGION
SOCIETY & RELIGION SHAMAN
RITUAL SITE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTqgksmmAuY
Writing System: Logosyllabic script
Polytheistic: e.g.: sky, earth, jaguar deities
Religious leaders: shamans
Rituals stressed re/production
Had temples, pyramids, tombs etc. EXPLAIN
SOCIAL CLASSES OLMEC WRITING SYSTEM
Highly stratified: ruling classes & commoners
Elites could ritually sacrifice commoners
Priestly class trained in ritual performance
Warriors
Commoners’ labour (farmers, artisans)
Built infrastructure, e.g.: La Venta pyramid
Transported basalt rocks - Olmec Heads
DECLINE
400- 350 BCE population decline
Archaeological evidence
earthquakes, volcanoes
Rise and fall of states, Toitec, Maya, etc.
