Olmec

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Olmec
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Olmec Civilization
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Olmec Civilization

• Mesoamericas 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

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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

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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?

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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)

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Olmec Civilization
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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

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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

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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