This document summarizes two of the earliest civilizations in Central and South America - the Olmec in Mexico and the Norte Chico in Peru. The Olmec civilization flourished between 1400 BCE to 400 BCE, developing advanced mathematics, calendars, writing systems, and constructing pyramids, aqueducts and drainage systems while practicing intensive maize and cacao agriculture. The Norte Chico civilization arose earlier between 3000 BCE to 1800 BCE and centered around religious and trade centers, practicing cotton agriculture and trading it for fish with coastal groups, without developing pottery or writing systems like the Olmec. Both civilizations laid the foundations for later Mesoamerican and Andean cultures.

1. Ancient Civilizations in
Central & South
America
Janet Pareja, Signature School, Evansville, Indiana

2. Earliest Civilizations in Americas
• Olmec
• Norte Chico–
• Mesoamerica
Andes Mountains:
Caral in the Supe
• 1400 BCE- 400 BCE
Valley
• “Rubber People”

4. Early Olmec Religious Centers

5. Regional Religious Centers
 Olmec Cities
• La Venta’s Great
Pyramid marked the
height of Olmec
civilization, and was the
largest structure in the
Americas.

6. Olmec: Alluvial Plain?
Coatzacoalcos
River Basin
Stretched as far South as Guatemala,
Honduras, and Costa Rica…125 x 50 miles.
Irrigation
Water Drainage
Varied by season:
Too dry to Floods &
Hurricanes!

7. Agriculture
• Slash & Burn
• Beans, chilis,
avocados, gourds,
tomatoes
•Maize!!
•Cacao!!
• No large animals to
domesticate

9. • Jade, obsidian, magnetite
items, such as masks,
knives…
• Exotic feathers
• Animal skins (especially
Jaguar)
• Kiln-made Ceramics
• 150 – 250 miles

10. • Shamanism
– “Nahuales” - assumed powers of
certain animals
• Birth of mankind/gods - underground
• 10+ gods incl:
fire, rain, CORN/MAIZE,
Feathered Serpent…
• Tree of Life
• Snake Worship
• Jaguar as Spirit Guide/
Weir Jaguar

12. 17 Monolithic
Basalt Heads
• 50-60 miles
from source
• Floated on
Rivers?
• Kings as Ball
Players?

13. Olmec
Jade
Perferators
Self-sacrifice rites:
• Rulers
• Communication with
Ancestors
• Vital to sustain gods & world
• Jade Perferators
– Also Bone, Flint, Stingray
Spines, Shark Teeth…
•Height: 38 cm
Width: 3 cm

15. • Undeciphered
• Calendars
• Cylinder Seals

17. Olmec Math
• Long Count Calendar
dates to Sept. 3, 32 BCE
• Astronomy
• Concept of Zero
• 365-day year
• Math: Base 20

18. Guinea Pigs, Turkeys… Dogs
Xoloitzcuintli

19. • Irrigation
• Drainage / Aqueducts
• Kiln baked ceramics
• Pyramids
• Boats
• NO METALLURGY!
• NO WHEEL!
• RUBBER!

20. “The Ball Game” starts here!

21. Disappeared “Mysteriously”
Systematically destroyed their own
ceremonial centers?
• Deserted sites.
• Broken and buried
statues.

22. HUARI
Tihuanaco

24. The Lost Pyramids of Caral

25. The Lost Pyramids of Caral

26. II. Norte Chico/ Caral-Supe
• 3000 – 1800 BCE
– Same time as Egypt and Sumer
were developing
– 2000 years before Olmec- why?
• Central Coast of Peru
• Ruth Shady, 1997, Peruvian
Archaeologist

27. Norte Chico
• Cities- Small
• Some economic specialization
• Economy: Agriculture & ?
– Ag: Cotton
• Squash, beans, guava grown by inland people in
irrigated river valleys
– Trade: Sardines & Anchovies from coastal people for
Fishing Nets made of cotton
• No pottery, no writing…Quipu
• Few sculptures, carvings…Flutes!

29. Ancient American Civilization
Central America:
Olmec
1400 BCE- 400 BCE
• Math: Calendar, Writing
• Lived in low, swampy land
• Pyramids, Irrigation,
Drainage/Aqueducts
• Maize, Cacao
• Long Distance Trade -
Luxuries
• Jade artifacts, large basalt
heads, Were Jaguars,
Ceramics in Kilns
• Culture carried on to
Zapotecs, Teotihuacans and
Maya…
South America:
Norte Chico
3000 – 1800 BCE
• No writing, QUIPU!
• No pottery
• Mountains, foothills
• Agriculture: COTTON
• Long Distance Trade –
especially cotton for Fish with
coastal people
• Products: rope, flutes,
• Religious / Trade /
Entertainment Centers!
• Inca and others built on their
culture…