Olmec

OVERVIEW/ OLMEC SETTLEMENT Lines, imagery, figurines, pottery, and statutes; the Olmec Civilization had it all. Art can be infinitely defined. But have you ever heard of the monumental heads of the Olmec Civilization? Allow me to give you a taste of this incredible civilization with hidden treasures it hides within the tropical region of Mexico. Many know of monumental sculptures such as the Easter Island heads and the infamous Stonehenge, but where do these large Olmec heads fit into these majestic categories? They too have the right to be known, interpreted, and recognized. The Olmec Civilization bloomed 1200 BCE to 400 BCE. The Olmec Civilization is a Pre-Classical civilization with a notable culture revolving art. Art can be defined through…

The Olmec were the first major Mesoamerican culture, their beliefs, art, structure and agriculture influenced civilizations that came later. They are known for their engineering skills and their huge sculpted heads carved from black volcanic rock. They are also the first known Mesoamerican culture to develop a writing system.The Mayan civilization developed very special religious centers and religious systems that grew into huge cities with many people. Mayans are known for the writing system…

Late Formative The great florescence of Formative Olmec culture ended about 400 BC with the rather abrupt decline and abandonment of La Venta, Although the Olmecs still has a sway in some areas of the late formative. Olmec contacts apparently broke down a good example is the ceramics of Central Mexico is no longer considered a symbol of the elite Olmec culture. The most important center of this Epi-Olmec culnd some fifty other monumental stone sculpture. Mesoamericans made the most…

east, Mesopotamia and Egypt. On the other hand, the new world refers to the civilization of Mesoamerica, such as, Maya, Aztec, and Inca. Both civilizations might be characterized their societies into more complexity in early period. They captured similarities and differences of the development of societies. Therefore, the interesting point I would like to discuss is the Olmec civilization in comparing to the Ubaid period chiefdom of Mesopotamia in terms of rulership, political power, religion,…

The Heard Museum received a statue of a young man in a kneeling pose, made of the volcanic rock andesite as a donation from a patron. The art style is from Olmec culture, which is classified as part of the Early Preclassic period in Mesoamerican history. The Olmec people lived in the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco on the Golf Coast of Mexico between 1500B.C.E and 400B.C.E. The young man stone statue found on El Azuzul in Veracruz, and is commonly known as part of a set of statues…

Chapter 2 is about the Olmecs, civilizations, colossal heads, and sculptures. They had their civilizations in places like San Lorenzo, La Venta, and Laguna de Los Cerros. One of the most important objects to the Olmecs was the Kunz Axe, which was made of jade and jade power. Kunz Axe had a jaguar shaped mouth and almond shapes eyes and it represented a chief that transformed himself into the jaguar for power. Olmecs had a Olmec dragon that look similar to a crocodile and represented a raptorial…

meso originates from the Greek work, middle. Mesoamerican culture, as well as Mesopotamian, sprang up in the heart of their respective locations. Shared regional settlement is only one of the multiple similarities that these two early civilizations share. This essay will discuss not only the similarities of art and architecture, but also will discuss fundamental differences that occur. The Olmec civilization thrived from c. 1500 BC to 400 BC, in the modern day Mexican states of Veracruz and…

I’ve had an interest in Mesoamerican history since I was a kid. I was reading adult level books when I was 10 years old. I got this book, The Mayan Prophecies: Unlocking the Secrets of a Lost Civilization, which talked a lot about Maya history, as well as where they came from. It’s an extremely interesting book, which goes through the history of the Maya, their astrology, mathematics, agriculture, building methods and so on. It said nothing about the Maya being African. That’s because it’s just…

religion of the Olmec as they believed springs, mountaintops and caves were portals to the supernatural realm. Shamans or priest served as intermediaries between this world and the next which was for the benefit of their people. Shamans used two methods in which they would enter the spirit world and summon the god who would provide rain for the growth of crops for villager’s sustenance, which is why priests were highly revered by the people. One method the shaman practiced was the use of…

More specifically, this sculpture depicts the cranium of a non-particular ruler. This metamorphosis is most likely the effect of an attempt to enter the spirit world to secure the favor of the gods for his people. The artist or architect of this piece was not mentioned on the placard nor anywhere in the vicinity of the piece’s case. It’s safe to assume the creator’s name has long been forgotten. The one piece of information that is known is that this piece was created in honor of the olmec…