HISTORY
First, we don't know what the Olmecs called themselves.
That said, the term 'Olmec' is used to describe artistic pieces
that range from monumental sculptures and altars to carvings and
small figures. Art historians say that Olmec art is on par with
classical sculpture.
The Olmecs greatly influenced contemporary and succeeding civilizations
in the region. It is often referred to as the 'mother culture' and
inspired subsequent civilizations - including the Maya, Mexica,
Mixtec, Huastecan, Totonac and Tarascan.
These civilizations adopted the Olmecs' belief that a king's power
derived from and was legitimized by his access to supernatural deities.
While scholars debate the history of a people without a written
language, the archaeological record places the Olmec heartland around
the Bay of Campeche, part of the Gulf
of Mexico.
The first cities in the Americas include these heritage sites,
including La Venta, San Lorenzo, Laguna de los Cerros and Tres Zapotes,
dating to 1200 to 900 B.C.
GIANT HEADS
The most famous sculptures of the Olmecs are the colossal
"heads" weighing between six and 50 tons and measuring
between 1.47 meters and 3.40 meters in height. They were carved
in basalt brought from the Tuxla mountains.
The mystery persists in how these enormous stones
were hauled over distances of 60 kilometers (36 miles) to San Lorenzo
or 100 kilometers (60 miles) to La Venta. Seventeen giant basalt
heads weighing as much as 20 tons have been recovered.
DISCOVERY
The first of the Olmec colossal heads was found in
1862 in Tres Zapotes.
The faces are of men with sunken eyes, flat noses, full cheekbones
and thick lips. They are all wearing helmets, some with insignias.
PART
2, PLACES TO VISIT |
