The Olmec civilization was one of the first civilizations in the Americas. It is believed they thrived between 1200 to 400 BCE around the forests, savannas, and rivers of the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico. The remains of their ceremonial centers and artifacts were found in the states of Veracruz and Tabasco. San Lorenzo and La Venta, the collective names of these related sites in the Coatzacoalcos River basin, were important Olmec political-religious centers that flourished from 1200 to 900 BCE.
The Olmec civilization was able to prosper and and develop a notorious culture because of their conventional inventions and architectural designs. These people were highly noted for being the first to build pyramids; they resembled volcanoes. The other buildings that were used as houses for the people were rectangular huts made from huts made from plants and adobe. There were also buildings with wooden walls covered with clay and palm roofs. To control the flow of water, they devised an underground stone drainage system that laid directly beneath their great cities and towns. In addition to their contributions to society, they formed a calendar and invented a complex system of writing based on hieroglyphics.
The Olmecs believed in three tiers of existence: the physical realm they inhabited, an underworld and a sky realm, and home of most of the gods. Their world was bound together by four cardinal points and natural boundaries such as rivers, oceans, and mountains. The most important aspect of Olmec life was agriculture, so it is no surprise that the the Olmec fertility cult depended greatly upon the gods and rituals. The rulers of the Olmec civilization had an important role to play as intermediaries between realms, and they remained at the top of the political caste for that reason.
They mainly used stone and clay in their architecture, in which included large clay platforms and terraces, usually painted bright shades of red, yellow, and purple. For special religious buildings such as ceremonial centers, the Olmecs used multicolored clays on the floors to add commotion to the building. Other characteristics of the ceremonial centers were stone-mosaic floors and basalt (type of stone) columns. Two art forms became very important indicators of a stratified society. One was the the large stone head measuring nearly nine feet in height and weighing almost 40 tons. The other was a figurine made of jade. These ancient artifacts were made of jaguar faces combined with human bodies to create "were-jaguars" (spiritual deity).
Many times, underdeveloped human figures that resembled jaguars were depicted in Olmec architecture. This symbolic representation has been thought of as a rain spirit, which was a prototype to the later rain gods of Mesoamerican civilizations. The Olmecs used animals scarcely in their buildings unlike many other groups. Their spiritual beliefs in animals were limited to jaguars, monkeys, serpents, fish, falcons, and eagles. A name was also given for each deity; among the popular titles were the "Were-jaguar," "The Feathered Serpent," and "the Fish Monster."
They mainly used stone and clay in their architecture, in which included large clay platforms and terraces, usually painted bright shades of red, yellow, and purple. For special religious buildings such as ceremonial centers, the Olmecs used multicolored clays on the floors to add commotion to the building. Other characteristics of the ceremonial centers were stone-mosaic floors and basalt (type of stone) columns. Two art forms became very important indicators of a stratified society. One was the the large stone head measuring nearly nine feet in height and weighing almost 40 tons. The other was a figurine made of jade. These ancient artifacts were made of jaguar faces combined with human bodies to create "were-jaguars" (spiritual deity).
Many times, underdeveloped human figures that resembled jaguars were depicted in Olmec architecture. This symbolic representation has been thought of as a rain spirit, which was a prototype to the later rain gods of Mesoamerican civilizations. The Olmecs used animals scarcely in their buildings unlike many other groups. Their spiritual beliefs in animals were limited to jaguars, monkeys, serpents, fish, falcons, and eagles. A name was also given for each deity; among the popular titles were the "Were-jaguar," "The Feathered Serpent," and "the Fish Monster."
Toward the middle of the first millennium BCE, the Olmecs disappeared. There are two theories that explained their extinction: either another group gained control over them or changes in the climate could not support their needs for growing crops to survive. However, the Olmecs played a very critical role in shaping the civilizations that followed. Many adopted their ideas, practices, and values. Jade became more valued than gold. A ritual handball game became an important component of future civilizations. It is believed that the Olmecs practiced human sacrifice by utilizing the rules of their handball activities. It was only one way of selecting those victims to be offered to the gods. There were two teams in which they were refrained from using their hands and were only allowed to use their knees or hips. The captain of the team who won the game had the honor of being sacrificed to the gods. His family was forever more honored and respected for the sacrifice their son made.