Although not entirely deciphered, this Olmec sculpture shown on the left seems to be a corn deity as revealed by the head garment the figure is wearing, which is decorated by plants.
The Olmecs: The Mother Culture
Much more is known about the Aztecs and Mayans as opposed to the Olmecs, although the latter two did go on to borrow some Olmec traditions, including a polytheistic religion. The Olmecs themselves originated from south eastern Mexico and by 1,500 BCE had constructed cities and large architectural structures such as pyramids. Since the Olmecs developed in complete isolation with no outside influence, they had developed their own society with their own system of beliefs, much like the Sumerians. Not only would the later civilizations base their own pyramid designs off of the Olmec ones, but the Olmecs were the pioneers of early Mesoamerican writing, which consisted glyphs that represented words, although it was fairly simple and not advanced. The Mayans and the Aztecs would also carry on the Olmec's passion for the jaguar--much like our passion for tiny, fluffy animals.
Life in an Olmec Society
Daily life centered around religion, and if you were a priest or a ruler you were revered. Being one of the two meant you were educated and literate and that a portion of the surrounding village's resources would go to support you. In fact, rulers received so much respect that the Olmec people actually carved their leaders into large stone heads.
In all honesty, the heads were impressive in the fact that they actually carved them, but little things such as a flat nose might have been exaggerated. There was also some speculation that these carved heads might actually resemble the Olmec ball players instead of rulers. The Olmec ball game itself was an important part of Olmec culture, being that it had religious implications that depicted the creation of the world, and it was a cultural pastime.
Olmec society gave rise to some of the most distinctive social classes in Mesoamerica. Trade was conducted throughout the area for things like obsidian, serpentine, and jade. Evidence suggests that the Olmecs were able to trade with other groups sometimes by arranging marriages. This led to a rise in both a merchant class and artisans. Especially since stones such as jade were considered precious and sometimes used in sculptures, these merchants and artisans were pretty well off. Organized labor was used to build town plazas and large architectures, mostly religious, and this in turn led to the inception of the high-ranking priest class. It also signified labor specialization within Olmec society.
How The Olmecs Affected Later Civilizations
Like the Mayan and Aztec civilizations that followed, the Olmecs consisted of a confederacy of city-states with priests and kings being the rulers. The Olmec passion for jaguars was depicted heavily in their religious beliefs, thinking that their chief god switched between jaguar and human forms from time to time. Their biggest religious impact on the civilizations that followed, however, was perhaps sacrifice--particularly human, which not only served a religious function but also scared any potential invaders.
The Mayan and Aztec later developed developed as a result of Olmec astronomy. Although originally, the Olmec calender only served to remind the people of secular days and of harvests. Because they were able to build off of Olmec culture, Mayan and Aztec society was more stable and they therefore inhabited much more land than their predecessor, as shown below.
The Mayan and Aztec later developed developed as a result of Olmec astronomy. Although originally, the Olmec calender only served to remind the people of secular days and of harvests. Because they were able to build off of Olmec culture, Mayan and Aztec society was more stable and they therefore inhabited much more land than their predecessor, as shown below.
Decline of The Olmecs
By 900 BCE, a growth in population strained the Olmec's resources, which eventually resulted in famine and unrest among the Olmec people. Rebellions throughout the area coupled with natural disaster crippled the majority of Olmec society and by 400 BCE, led to its complete downfall.
By 900 BCE, a growth in population strained the Olmec's resources, which eventually resulted in famine and unrest among the Olmec people. Rebellions throughout the area coupled with natural disaster crippled the majority of Olmec society and by 400 BCE, led to its complete downfall.
Links
- http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/latinam/la01a.html
- www.nairiok.org/MesoAmerica.html
- http://sharepoint.chiles.leon.k12.fl.us/mcneilt/Textbook%20for%20World%20History/Chapter%2009/Ch%209%20Art.pdf
- http://www.slideshare.net/rhalter/mesoamerican-civilizations
- http://www.aztec-history.com/olmec-civilization.html
- http://archaeologynewsreport.blogspot.com/2011/02/ancient-mesoamerican-sculpture.html