Table of Contents
How did the Olmecs survive?
Trading helped the Olmec build their urban centers of San Lorenzo and La Venta. These cities, however, were used predominantly for ceremonial purposes and elite activity; most people lived in small villages. They also likely had gardens in which the Olmec would grow medicinal herbs and small crops, like sunflowers.
What are the Olmec best know for?
The Olmec culture flourished in several civic and ceremonial centers along the Gulf of Mexico more than 3,000 years ago, from 1500 to 400 B.C. Best known for their carvings of colossal stone heads, the Olmec were masters of monumental sculpture, and also produced an array of other distinctive artworks in stone, ceramic …
What are the 3 most impressive achievements of the Olmec?
Much of what we know about the Olmec civilization is dependent solely on archaeological evidence. As a result not much is known about the Olmec and, though evidence points at several possibilities, most of the things have not been established with certainty.
What were the Olmec accomplishments?
The Olmecs were apparently the first Mesoamerican people to fathom the concept of zero, develop a calendar, and create a hieroglyphic writing system. Also, they are credited for the discovery of the first conduit drainage system known in the Americas.
How do we know the Olmecs were?
The Olmecs are especially identified with 17 huge stone heads—ranging in height from 1.47 to 3.4 metres (4.82 to 11.15 feet)—with flat faces and full lips, wearing helmetlike headgear. It is generally thought that these are portraits of Olmec rulers.
What three things prove the Olmec were advanced when developing their civilization?
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 …
What did the Olmec people do for a living?
The Olmec. The Olmec are probably best known for the statues they carved: 20 ton stone heads, quarried and carved to commemorate their rulers. The name Olmec is an Aztec word meaning the rubber people; the Olmec made and traded rubber throughout Mesoamerica.
What kind of rock did the Olmec use?
Appearing around 1600 BCE, the Olmec were among the first Mesoamerican complex societies, and their culture influenced many later civilizations, like the Maya. The Olmec are known for the immense stone heads they carved from a volcanic rock called basalt.
Are there any written records of the Olmec civilization?
There are no written records of Olmec commerce, beliefs, or customs, but from the archaeological evidence, it appears they were not economically confined. In fact, Olmec artifacts have been found across Mesoamerica, indicating that there were extensive interregional trade routes.
When did the Olmec culture come to Central America?
The Olmecs were the first great culture to arise in Mexico and Central America. They established a city on a river island in 1200 B.C. or so: archaeologists, who do not know the original name of the city, call it San Lorenzo.