The Olmecs flourished in the southern region of Mesoamerica during 1500–400BC....................................................

1. Olmec Civilization
Zainab Arshad
M-Phil Environmental Sciences
University of Gujrat
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2. Start of civilization
• The Olmecs flourished in the southern region of Mesoamerica
during 1500–400BC
• Mesoamerica includes Mexico, parts of Honduras, parts of
Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Belize.
• The Olmec civilization is believed to have been centred around
the southern Gulf Coast of Mexico area (today the states of
Veracruz and Tabasco)
• The Olmec culture is considered the "mother culture" of
societies that came later, such as the Maya and Aztec.
• Olmec means “"rubber people" ”,
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3. Geography and Ecology of OlmecArea
• Located in southern Veracruz and Tabasco
• Olmec zone is about 125 mile long and 50mile
wide
• High rainfall - over 300 cm/year
• Dense tropical forest
• They planted many of the same crops seen in
the region today, such as squash, beans, manioc,
sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Maize was a
staple of the Olmec diet, although it is possible
that it was introduced late in the development of
their culture.
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4. Socio-Political Structure
• Hierarchically arranged society
• Highest rank is that of the chief
• Fewer status positions than those available to fill
them
• Intermediate step between egalitarian societies and
states
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5. Culture:
• Their astronomy was also carried on by later groups.
They were probably obsess with the timing of religious
ritual, as the Mayans and Aztec would be after them. Even
the ritual ball game so popular among the Aztecs is
believed to have been played in the
ancient Olmec civilization.
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6. Olmec Cosmology
LIke many early mesoamerican cultures, the olmec
believed in three tiers of existence:
• The physical realm they inhabited,
• An underworld and a sky realm,
• Home of most of the gods.
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7. Olmec Religion
Archaeologist has identified five elements associated with Olmec
Religion. These include:
• A cosmos which identifies the socio-cultural context within
which Gods and man interacted
• Divine beings and gods who controlled the universe and
interacted with men
• A shaman or priest class who acted as intermediaries between
the common Olmec people and their gods and spirits
• Rituals enacted by shamans and/or rulers that reinforced the
concepts of the cosmos
• Sacred sites, both natural and man-made
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8. Olmec Deities
The Olmec had several deities whose images repeatedly
appear in surviving sculptures, stonecarvings and other
artistic forms.
• The Olmec Dragon
• The Bird Monster
• The Fish Monster
• The Banded-eye God
• The Maize God
• The Water God
• The Were-jaguar
• The Feathered Serpent
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9. Olmec Sacred Places
• The Olmecs considered certain man-made and natural places
sacred.
• Man-made places included temples, plazas and ball courts and
natural places included springs, caves, mountaintops and rivers.
• The Olmec venerated natural sites as well. El Manatí is a bog
where offerings were left by the Olmecs, probably those who
lived at San Lorenzo.
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10. Language:
• Several Mayan languages have documentation
beginning shortly after earliest Spanish conquest in the
early 16th century. A Mixe-Zoquean language appears
have been spoken by the Olmecs.
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11. MajorAchievements
• The olmec were the first great mesoamerican civilization
• Olmec civilization produced some of the greatest mesoamerican
artworks which include monumental sculptures, olmec colossal,
mesoamerican pyramid
• Olmec prosperity was initially based on exploiting the fertile
and well-watered coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico to grow
such crops as corn and beans (often twice-yearly) which
allowed for an agricultural surplus.
• They were the first Mesoamericans to develop a calendar.
• They created a complex drainage system.
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12. Characteristic Traits
• Building of clay pyramids and temple mounds
• Particular sculptural style
• weeping or snarling jaguar/human infant
• were-jaguar
• colossal heads
• basalt monuments
• fine jade carving
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13. MajorAchievements
• The Olmec people learned how to make things to help their
society strive.
• They invented a written language based on hieroglyphics. This
helped them send information to others.
• They developed a calendar.
• These inventions helped the Olmec survive.
• Olmec influence and trade activity spread from 1200 BCE,
Trade includes massive stone sculptures, ball games, the
drinking of chocolate, and animal gods .
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14. MajorAchievements
• Olmec people also understood many things in life, such as the
concept of zero ,linear time, and gravity.
• Using their knowledge, they achieved many feats.
• With perfect proportions, they made beautiful stone heads
recognizing their society leader.
• They also constructed earthly pyramids. Lastly, they made tall
stone pillars called Stelae that were free standing and unique.
• In conlclusion, their knowledge of the world and their social
achievements were many.
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15. Olmec Colossal Heads
• The Olmec colossal heads are stone
representations of human heads sculpted
from large basalt boulders. The heads date
from at least 900 BC and are a distinctive
feature of the Olmec civilization of
ancient Mesoamerica.
• Mexico's “Olmec Colossal Heads” are a
mystery as to their age and their method of
construction.
• The most agreed upon theory is that,
because of their unique physical features
and the difficulty and cost involved in their
creation, they represent Olmec rulers.
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16. End of Olmec?
• Around 600 B.C. building and expansion of Olmecs ended.
• According to archaeologists, this depopulation was probably the
result of "very serious environmental changes that rendered the region
unsuited for large groups of farmers", in particular changes to the
riverine environment that the Olmec depended upon for agriculture,
hunting and gathering, and transportation. These changes may have
been triggered by tectonic upheavals or subsidence, or the silting up
of rivers due to agricultural practices.[
• Archaeologist also says the relocation of settlements due to
volcanism, instead of extinction. Volcanic eruptions during the Early,
Late and Terminal Formative periods would have blanketed the lands
and forced the Olmec to move their settlements.
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