The Olmecs had 2 main cities, La Venta and San Lorenzo, along with outposts at Tres Zapotes and Laguna de los Cerros.
They were spread out over a relatively small area and expanede through trade.
They're most well known for their heads.
The most imporant people were the 7 gods (which we've named): the Olmec Dragon, the Bird Monster, the Fish (or Shark) Monster, the Banded-eye God, the Maize God, the Water God, the Were-Jaguar and the Feathered Serpent
They were spread out over a relatively small area and expanede through trade.
They're most well known for their heads.
The most imporant people were the 7 gods (which we've named): the Olmec Dragon, the Bird Monster, the Fish (or Shark) Monster, the Banded-eye God, the Maize God, the Water God, the Were-Jaguar and the Feathered Serpent
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A brief intro:
The Olmecs were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished from 1400 – 400 BCE, on the
Gulf lowlands of Mexico (called the Olmec Heartland). They are often called the ‘mother culture’
of Mesoamerica. They were the first to develop writing (a glyph system that has yet to be
deciphered), a calendar, planned cities, the ritual ball game that would be adopted by the Maya
and formal social structure. Though they lived in a small portion of Mexico, their influence was
felt all over Mesoamerica. The main way it was transmitted was through trade, as the Olmecs
had a large trade network across Mesoamerica. Mostly, they traded rubber (hence their name-
Olmec is from Olmecatl, literally, “people from the land of rubber”) and jade, which they also
carved for religious statues. It’s believed that their gods came in the form of the ‘were-jaguar’
aka a human with jaguar characteristics. It’s possible that they practiced human sacrifice,
however there is no proof. One of the most recognizable features of the Olmecs is the giant
heads, carved from basalt and weighing up to 40 tons. There is no known reason why they
declined, around 400 BCE.
The Olmecs were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished from 1400 – 400 BCE, on the
Gulf lowlands of Mexico (called the Olmec Heartland). They are often called the ‘mother culture’
of Mesoamerica. They were the first to develop writing (a glyph system that has yet to be
deciphered), a calendar, planned cities, the ritual ball game that would be adopted by the Maya
and formal social structure. Though they lived in a small portion of Mexico, their influence was
felt all over Mesoamerica. The main way it was transmitted was through trade, as the Olmecs
had a large trade network across Mesoamerica. Mostly, they traded rubber (hence their name-
Olmec is from Olmecatl, literally, “people from the land of rubber”) and jade, which they also
carved for religious statues. It’s believed that their gods came in the form of the ‘were-jaguar’
aka a human with jaguar characteristics. It’s possible that they practiced human sacrifice,
however there is no proof. One of the most recognizable features of the Olmecs is the giant
heads, carved from basalt and weighing up to 40 tons. There is no known reason why they
declined, around 400 BCE.