The Olmecs - Grade: A PDF

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Dr. Luis Castaneda

essay prompt was an informative essay on latin American culture or history. for this essay, I chose the olmecs...

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The Olmecs are widely believed to be the first major civilization in Mexico, predating the Mayans and Aztecs by hundreds of years. Very little is known about the Olmecs in comparison to later civilizations, such as the Aztecs and the Mayans. However, a decent portion of their history has survived long enough for historians to make hypotheses about their culture. The Olmecs were mainly located in the tropical areas along the Gulf of Mexico, and they’re believed to have flourished around 1500 B.C. to 400 B.C. Like other early major civilizations, the Olmec’s origins were based on the environments similar to other river valley civilizations. Their name comes from the Nahuatl words ōlli and mēcatl, which mean “rubber” and “people”, respectively. This name probably comes from the Olmec practice of extracting latex from the region’s Panama rubber trees and combined it with the juice of the moonflower vine to create rubber. The reason their name is from Nahuatl (an Aztec language) and not an Olmec language is because there is a very limited portion of their writing system that survived, those being a handful of carved glyphs. Although their language didn’t survive long enough for historians to get a good grasp on it, a good portion of their art did. This surviving art included giant stone heads, masks, and other sculptures. Although the Olmec civilization was mainly found along the Gulf of Mexico, their trading network spanned much further out. Their trading network is believed to have passed through the Pacific coast of Guatemala, reaching as far south as modern-day Nicaragua. The extensive trade allowed the Olmecs to establish villages, and later urban centers such as San Lorenzo and La Venta. The strategic location of the Olmec city of San Lorenzo made it safe from flooding, which allowed it to control local trade,

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giving the city a boost in prosperity. The Olmecs traded both raw materials (such as obisidian, rubber, jade, and feathers) and crafted items (including pottery, and polished mirrors made of ilmenite and magnetite). Olmec life was typically simple. While there were a few cities of the civilization, most of the people lived in villages. Cities were instead for ceremonial activities and the elite class. Those in the villages were mainly farmers. Many villages had large fields in areas outside of the village where most agricultural activity was done. However, it was not uncommon for village families to have small gardens next to their homes. These homes also had lean-tos and storage pits where villagers could store their crops. Commonly grown crops include maize, squash, beans, and cotton among other things. The rise of the Olmec civilization paved the way for its culture to sprout, such as their religious beliefs and arts. The religious beliefs of the Olmecs is not very well documented. However, historians commonly agree on the theory that the Olmecs believed in multiple deities. These deities are said to represent different natural things, such as rain, maize, and the earth. These deities often have animalistic forms; examples include a large fish or shark creature, a feathered serpent, a large bird, and a human-jaguar hybrid. The details of these deities and their roles in the Olmec religion are still largely unknown, however they are still a topic of discussion among historians. What is known about the Olmec religion, however, is that there are human authorities in the culture. For example, historians believe that the rulers are said to be relatives of the deities, which is what cements their place as ruler. There is also some evidence that suggests that there were shamans involved in one way or another. The

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rulers and shamans are believed to have had major roles in the Olmec religious ceremonies and activities. The art of the Olmecs is arguably the most well-known aspect of their culture. They had a range of art pieces that included masks, pottery, cave paintings, and sculptures. Many of the masks and sculptures were made using the stone materials available in the region, such as jade (a particular favorite of the Olmecs), ceramic, basalt, and wood. Some researchers suggest that a few of the masks were worn around the neck like a pendant, not on the face. The pottery was usually made using clay or ceramic. It was not uncommon for the pottery to have engravings that depicted one of the several Olmec deities. The cave paintings were mainly found in the mountain caves of modern-day Guerrero, a state in southern Mexico. These cave paintings also depicted some of the deities. The most well-known artifacts of the Olmecs are definitely the colossal stone heads. These heads have been found in four different locations: ten at San Lorenzo, four at La Venta, two at Tres Zapotes and one at La Cobata. These giant heads were carved out of large basalt boulders, with the finished statues varying in size from about 5 to 11 feet, with the largest weighing about 40 tons. Historians believe that the large boulders were first transported to the workshop before they were carved. They are also believed to depict the rulers of the Olmecs. Some of the heads have some remnants of paint on them, leading researchers to believe that they were once painted. While the Olmec civilizations had a long prosperous life, they did come to an end. It was around 400 B.C. when La Venta, the last major city, declined. Olmec culture ended with the fall of La Venta, and with it, the extensive trade network fell too. How

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these civilizations came to an end is unknown, but some historians have theories. Some archaeologists suggest that environmental changes could have led to the downfall of the Olmecs. For example, rivers may have dried up due to a drought, which would destroy any civilization that relied heavily on agriculture. Another possibility is a volcanic eruption, which could have covered the once fertile soil in ash, destroying the possibility of agricultural activity in that area. Even if the Olmec culture disappeared almost entirely, their legacy far outlasted them. For example, the Olmecs were the first to build a pyramid in the Americas. The feathered serpent deity can also be found in the much later Aztec and Mayan religions. Additionally, the art of the Olmecs has stood the test of time. Olmec art has often been mistaken as Mayan art due to the similarities and inspirations. Although the Olmecs have disappeared as a civilization, they are still remembered to this day for their contributions to Mexican culture.

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Works Cited Cartwright, Mark. "Olmec Civilization." Ancient History Encyclopedia, 04 April 2018, www.ancient.eu/Olmec_Civilization/. Accessed 27 April 2020. History.com Editors. "Pyramids in Latin America." History, 29 October 2009, www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/pyramids-in-latin-america. Accessed 27 April 2020. Minster, Christopher. "A History of Olmec Art and Sculpture." ThoughtCo, 22 May 2019, www.thoughtco.com/olmec-art-and-sculpture-2136298. Accessed 27 April 2020. Minster, Christopher. "The Colossal Heads of the Olmec." ThoughtCo, 25 January 2019, www.thoughtco.com/the-colossal-heads-of-the-olmec-2136318. Accessed 27 April 2020. Minster, Christopher. "The Decline of the Olmec Civilization." ThoughtCo, 19 September 2018, www.thoughtco.com/the-decline-of-the-olmec-civilization2136291. Accessed 27 April 2020. "Olmec Religion." www.olmec.info/olmec-religion/. Accessed 27 April 2020. The British Museum. "Olmec stone mask." Smarthistory, 28 February 2017, smarthistory.org/olmec-stone-mask/. Accessed 27 April 2020. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Olmec." Encyclopaedia Britannica, 04 May 1999, www.britannica.com/topic/Olmec. Accessed 27 April 2020. "The Olmec." Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/worldhistory-beginnings/ancient-americas/a/the-olmec-article. Accessed 27 April 2020....