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| Figure 1: Olmec Colossal Head (Source: Britannica Encyclopedia) |
Central America is known for a great number of things, particularly
in the archaeological world. The Aztecs,
Maya, and Zapotecs are all well-known and greatly studied, but all of these
cultures have one thing in common: they were preceded by a great civilization
that disappeared before their creation but that actually significantly
influenced all of them. This
civilization is known as the Olmec, the foundational culture that gave rise to
all the rest, which will be delved more deeply into herein.
The Olmec received their name not from themselves but from
the Aztecs. Scholars do not know enough
about the Olmec language (spoken or written) to call them by their own
name. The Aztecs named them the “rubber
people”, although it is unclear as to why.
What is clear is that the Olmec had a great deal of influence over their
empire, which existed between 1400 and 400 BC and covered the whole of modern
day southern Mexico. They built several
large cities full of pyramids and were trade centers for the remainder of the
continent. The Olmec traded for a
variety of exotic items, including serpentine, jade, magnetite, obsidian, mica,
rubber, pottery, feathers, and polished mirrors of ilmenite and magnetite. They most likely exchanged their large stores
of maize and beans, which they harvested once or twice a year.
The Olmec had a very complex religion, which influenced all
future religions of forthcoming cultures.
The Olmec’s religion was polytheistic, meaning they worshiped many
gods, including a feather serpent and jaguar god. They practiced auto-sacrifice, sacrifice of
one’s self, which involved giving one’s blood to the gods. Evidence of this ritual was based on material
culture evidence, including ceramic and real sting ray spines. The Olmec were also credited with creating
the Mesoamerican calendar, the ball game, and writing. All of these practices were later adopted by
the Maya and Aztecs and became staples of their cultures.
The Olmec are most well-known for their colossal heads (Figure 1). There are 17 colossal heads that have been
discovered. They measure in 1 to 3
meters in height. Each is unique in its
own way, donning individual headdresses, but they share common characteristics,
including fleshy cheeks, slanted and crossed eyes, and flattened noses. These colossal heads are believed to
represent Olmec elites, but other hypotheses have been put forward, including
that they represent foreigners from the Mediterranean, Africa, or Asia or
individuals with Down’s Syndrome.
Neither of these hypotheses are widely accepted or supported, though.
The Olmec civilization existed for centuries, but it
mysteriously fell in 400 BC. Scholars
have not yet determined why specifically the civilization fell. Archaeological evidence suggests that there
was a large population decline in the years leading up to the fall of the
Olmec. This decline is associated with
environmental changes that most likely hindered harvests and caused starvation
among the Olmec. The cities were
abandoned but not before being destroyed.
While this signaled the end of the Olmec their influence continued on
among subsequent cultures, making the Olmec the foundation or mother culture
of all of Central America’s great cultures.
Bibliography
Cartwright, M.
2013. “Olmec Civilization.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. http://www.ancient.eu/Olmec_Civilization/
No Author. No
Date. “Olmec.” McGill University. https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/link-suggestion/wpcd_2008-09_augmented/wp/o/Olmec.htm
No Author. 2011. “Olmec: Colossal Masterworks of Ancient
Mexico.” Fine Arts Museum of San
Francisco. https://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/exhibitions/olmec-colossal-masterworks-ancient-mexico
No Author. 2015. “The Mysterious Civilization of the Olmecs.” Ancient Origins. http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-ancient-places-americas/mysterious-civilization-olmecs-002540
Ojus, D. 2007. “Olmec Writing: The Oldest in the Western
Hemisphere.” Journal of Young Investigators http://www.jyi.org/issue/olmec-writing-the-oldest-in-the-western-hemisphere/
