Although descendants of the Olmecs still lived in the area, the culture itself has died out. The vast trade networks used by the Olmecs collapsed. Jades, sculptures and pottery in the Olmec style and with distinctly Olmec motifs are no longer created.
Full Answer
What happened to the Olmec civilization?
Decline of the Olmec and the Epi-Olmec Civilization: La Venta went into decline around 400 B.C. and the Olmec civilization vanished along with it. The great Olmec cities were swallowed up by the jungles, not to be seen again for thousands of years. Why the Olmec declined is a bit of a mystery.
When did the Olmecs live in Mexico?
Olmec jadeite mask 1000–600 BCE. The Olmecs (/ˈɒlmɛks, ˈoʊl-/) were the earliest known major civilization in Mesoamerica following a progressive development in Soconusco. They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the present-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco.
Did the Olmec have a long count?
Indeed, three of these six artifacts were found within the Olmec heartland. But an argument against an Olmec origin is the fact that the Olmec civilization had ended by the 4th century BCE, several centuries before the earliest known Long Count date artifact.
What are the Olmecs best known for?
They are best known for their massive colossal heads, seventeen of which have been found at four different archaeological sites. They also worked with wood: most wooden Olmec sculptures have been lost, but a handful of them survived at the El Manatí site.
Why are Olmecs considered credible?
They are not considered credible by the vast majority of Mesoamerican researchers and scientists, who discard it as pop-culture pseudo-science.
What did the Olmecs do?
Among other "firsts", the Olmec appeared to practice ritual bloodletting and played the Mesoamerican ballgame, hallmarks of nearly all subsequent Mesoamerican societies. The aspect of the Olmecs most familiar now is their artwork, particularly the aptly named " colossal heads ".
What are Olmec artists known for?
Olmec artists are known for both monumental and miniature portrayals of what are assumed to be persons of authority-from six-ton heads sculptures to figurines. The Olmecs ( / ˈɒlmɛks, ˈoʊl -/) were the earliest known major Mesoamerican civilization.
What caused the extinction of the Olmec culture?
Between 400 and 350 BCE, the population in the eastern half of the Olmec heartland dropped precipitously, and the area was sparsely inhabited until the 19th century. According to archaeologists, this depopulation was probably the result of "very serious environmental changes that rendered the region unsuited for large groups of farmers", in particular changes to the riverine environment that the Olmec depended upon for agriculture, hunting and gathering, and transportation. These changes may have been triggered by tectonic upheavals or subsidence, or the siltation of rivers due to agricultural practices.
What is the origin of the Olmec civilization?
What is today called Olmec first appeared fully within San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, where distinctive Olmec features occurred around 1400 BCE. The rise of civilization was assisted by the local ecology of well-watered alluvial soil, as well as by the transportation network provided by the Coatzacoalcos river basin. This environment may be compared to that of other ancient centers of civilization: the Nile, Indus, and Yellow River valleys and Mesopotamia. This highly productive environment encouraged a densely concentrated population, which in turn triggered the rise of an elite class. The elite class created the demand for the production of the symbolic and sophisticated luxury artifacts that define Olmec culture. Many of these luxury artifacts were made from materials such as jade, obsidian, and magnetite, which came from distant locations and suggest that early Olmec elites had access to an extensive trading network in Mesoamerica. The source of the most valued jade was the Motagua River valley in eastern Guatemala, and Olmec obsidian has been traced to sources in the Guatemala highlands, such as El Chayal and San Martín Jilotepeque, or in Puebla, distances ranging from 200 to 400 km (120–250 miles) away, respectively.
When did the Olmecs start?
The Olmecs flourished during Mesoamerica 's formative period, dating roughly from as early as 1500 BCE to about 400 BCE. Pre-Olmec cultures had flourished since about 2500 BCE, but by 1600–1500 BCE, early Olmec culture had emerged, centered on the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán site near the coast in southeast Veracruz.
Where is the Olmec heartland?
The Olmec heartland is the area in the Gulf lowlands where it expanded after early development in Soconusco, Veracruz. This area is characterized by swampy lowlands punctuated by low hills, ridges, and volcanoes. The Sierra de los Tuxtlas rises sharply in the north, along the Gulf of Mexico's Bay of Campeche. Here, the Olmec constructed permanent city-temple complexes at San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, La Venta, Tres Zapotes, and Laguna de los Cerros. In this region, the first Mesoamerican civilization emerged and reigned from c. 1400–400 BCE.
What are the Olmecs known for?
They are best known for their colossal heads. These massive stone heads, thought to represent rulers, stand several feet high and weigh many tons. The Olmecs also made massive stone thrones: squarish blocks, carved on the sides, which were evidently used for rulers to sit or stand upon.
What was the religion of the Olmec?
The Olmec had a well-developed religion , complete with an interpretation of the cosmos and several gods. To the Olmec, there were three parts of the known universe. First was the earth, where they lived, and it was represented by the Olmec Dragon. The watery underworld was the realm of the Fish Monster, and the Skies were the home of the Bird Monster.
What were the Olmecs' sculptures?
The Olmecs made large and small sculptures, some of which are very significant. La Venta Monument 19 features the first image of a feathered serpent in Mesoamerican art. The El Azuzul twins seem to prove a link between the ancient Olmec and the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya. The Olmecs also made countless smaller pieces, including celts, figurines, and masks.
Why did the Olmec civilization decline?
The great Olmec cities were swallowed up by the jungles, not to be seen again for thousands of years. Why the Olmec declined is a bit of a mystery. It may have been climate change as the Olmec were dependent on a few basic crops and climate change could have affected their harvests. Human actions, such as warfare, overfarming or deforestation may have played a role in their decline as well. After the fall of La Venta, the center of what is known as epi-Olmec civilization became Tres Zapotes, a city which prospered for a while after La Venta. The epi-Olmec people of Tres Zapotes were also talented artists who developed concepts such as writing systems and a calendar.
What did the Olmec do?
The Olmec had religion and a mythology, and the people would gather near the ceremonial centers to watch their priests and rulers perform ceremonies. There was a priest class and a ruling class who lived privileged lives in the higher parts of the cities.
What did the Olmec people do?
Most of the common Olmec citizens labored in the fields producing crops or spent their days fishing in the rivers. Sometimes, massive amounts of manpower would be required to move immense boulders many miles to the workshops where sculptors would turn them into great stone thrones or colossal heads.
What are the pristine cultures of the Olmec civilization?
Generally, only six pristine cultures are thought to exist: those of ancient India, Egypt, China, Sumeria, and the Chavin Culture of Peru in addition to the Olmec. That’s not to say that the Olmec appeared out of thin air. As early as 1500 B.C. pre-Olmec relics were being created at San Lorenzo, where the Ojochí, Bajío, and Chichárras cultures would eventually develop into the Olmec.
What are the Olmecs known for?
Most of what we know about the Olmec comes from works they created in stone. The Olmecs were extremely talented artists and sculptors: they produced many statues, masks, figurines, stelae, thrones and more.
When did the Olmec civilization decline?
Their civilization declined around 400 B.C. and their major cities were reclaimed by the jungle. Because so much time has passed, much information about their culture has been lost. For example, it is not known if the Olmec had books, like the Maya and Aztecs.
What is the Olmec culture?
Best known today for their carved colossal heads, the Olmecs were an important early Mesoamerican civilization which had much influence on later cultures such as the Aztecs and the Maya.
How were the Olmec cities ruled?
The Olmec cities were ruled by a family of ruler-shamans who wielded enormous power over their subjects. This is seen in their public works: the colossal heads are a good example. Geological records show that the sources of the stone used in the San Lorenzo heads were found some 50 miles away. The Olmec had to get these massive boulders weighing many tons from the quarry to the workshops in the city. They moved these massive boulders many miles, most likely using a combination of sledges, rollers, and rafts, before carving them without the benefit of metal tools. The end result? A massive stone head, possibly a portrait of the ruler who ordered the work. The fact that the OImec rulers could command such manpower speaks volumes about their political influence and control.
What were the other cultures that borrowed from the Olmec?
All later cultures, such as the Veracruz, Maya, Toltec, and Aztecs all borrowed from the Olmec. Certain Olmec gods, such as the Feathered Serpent, Maize God, and Water God, would live on in the cosmos of these later civilizations.
What are some examples of Olmec objects?
Additionally, Olmec objects, such as figurines, statues, and celts, have been found in sites of other cultures contemporary to the Olmec. Other cultures seem to have learned much from the Olmec, as some less developed civilizations adopted Olmec pottery techniques.
What did the Olmecs do?
The Olmecs built aqueducts, laboriously carving massive pieces of stone into identical blocks with a trough on one end : they then lined these blocks up side by side to create a channel for water to flow. That’s not their only feat of engineering, however. They created a man-made pyramid at La Venta: it is known as Complex C and is located in the Royal Compound in the heart of the city. Complex C is likely meant to represent a mountain and is made of earth. It must have taken countless man-hours to complete.
Summary
The Olmecs were the earliest known major Mesoamerican civilization. Following a progressive development in Soconusco, they occupied the tropical lowlands of the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. It has been speculated that the Olmecs derived in part from the neighboring Mokaya or Mixe–Zoque cultures.
The Olmecs flourished during Mesoamerica's formative period, dating roughly from as early as 1…
Etymology
The name 'Olmec' comes from the Nahuatl word for the Olmecs: Ōlmēcatl [oːlˈmeːkat͡ɬ] (singular) or Ōlmēcah [oːlˈmeːkaʔ] (plural). This word is composed of the two words ōlli [ˈoːlːi], meaning "natural rubber", and mēcatl [ˈmeːkat͡ɬ], meaning "people", so the word means "rubber people". Rubber was an important part of the ancient Mesoamerican ballgame.
Overview
The Olmec heartland is the area in the Gulf lowlands where it expanded after early development in Soconusco, Veracruz. This area is characterized by swampy lowlands punctuated by low hills, ridges, and volcanoes. The Sierra de los Tuxtlas rises sharply in the north, along the Gulf of Mexico's Bay of Campeche. Here, the Olmec constructed permanent city-temple complexes at San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, La Venta, Tres Zapotes, and Laguna de los Cerros. In this region, the first M…
Artifacts
The Olmec culture was first defined as an art style, and this continues to be the hallmark of the culture. Wrought in a large number of media – jade, clay, basalt, and greenstone among others – much Olmec art, such as The Wrestler, is naturalistic. Other art expresses fantastic anthropomorphic creatures, often highly stylized, using an iconography reflective of a religious meaning. Common motifs include downturned mouths and a cleft head, both of which are seen i…
Beyond the heartland
Olmec-style artifacts, designs, figurines, monuments and iconography have been found in the archaeological records of sites hundreds of kilometres outside the Olmec heartland. These sites include:
Tlatilco and Tlapacoya, major centers of the Tlatilco culture in the Valley of Mexico, where artifacts include hollow baby-face motif figurines and Olmec designs on ceramics.
Notable innovations
In addition to their influence with contemporaneous Mesoamerican cultures, as the first civilization in Mesoamerica, the Olmecs are credited, or speculatively credited, with many "firsts", including the bloodletting and perhaps human sacrifice, writing and epigraphy, and the invention of popcorn, zero and the Mesoamerican calendar, and the Mesoamerican ballgame, as well as perhaps the compass. Some researchers, including artist and art historian Miguel Covarrubias, ev…
Ethnicity and language
While the actual ethno-linguistic affiliation of the Olmec remains unknown, various hypotheses have been put forward. For example, in 1968 Michael D. Coe speculated that the Olmec were Maya predecessors.
In 1976, linguists Lyle Campbell and Terrence Kaufman published a paper in which they argued a core number of loanwords had apparently spread from a Mixe–Zoquean language into many other Mesoamerican …
Religion and mythology
Olmec religious activities were performed by a combination of rulers, full-time priests, and shamans. The rulers seem to have been the most important religious figures, with their links to the Olmec deities or supernaturals providing legitimacy for their rule. There is also considerable evidence for shamans in the Olmec archaeological record, particularly in the so-called "transformation figures".