Search Results: Olmec Civilization

The Olmec civilization, located in ancient Mexico, prospered in Pre-Classical (Formative) Mesoamerica from c. 1200 BCE to c. 400 BCE. Monumental sacred complexes, massive stone sculptures, ball games, the drinking of chocolate, and animal...

Civilization (from the Latin civis=citizen and civitas=city) is a term applied to any society which has developed a writing system, government, production of surplus food, division of labor, and urbanization. The term is difficult to define...

The sport known simply as the Ball Game was played by all the major Mesoamerican civilizations and the impressive stone courts became a feature of many cities. More than just a game, it could have a religious significance and featured in...

The stone head sculptures of the Olmec civilization of the Gulf Coast of Mexico (1200 BCE - 400 BCE) are amongst the most mysterious and debated artefacts from the ancient world. The most agreed upon theory is that, because of their unique...

Ancient Mesoamerica (modern-day Mexico and Central America) witnessed an extraordinary flourishing of cultures from the beginnings of the Olmec civilization around 1200 BCE, through the Maya civilization and on to the catastrophic fall of...

The genesis of Maya civilization in Mesoamerica was marked by an effervescence in the arts, the beginnings of their written language with glyphs, and a great attention to detail in the sphere of urban planning. Yet, despite these tremendous...

Chocolate was one of the most desired foods of Mesoamerica and was consumed by the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec civilizations, amongst others. Its consumption even spread via trade routes to other parts of the Americas including the Chaco Canyon...

A polished jade celt or ceremonial axehead from the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica. The Olmec ritually buried celts to appease the gods and guarantee future harvests, particularly of maize which jade was associated with. (Metropolitan...

Olmec Mask. Greenstone, 900-400 BCE. Mexico. This mask is too small to be worn on the face, therefore it could have been jewellery or part of a headdress. The Olmec ruled in Mexico from about 1400 to 400 BCE. They built the first cities...

An Olmec colossal stone head in basalt from San Lorenzo, c. 1200-400 BCE. Although all wear the hat or headdress worn during war and the Mesoamerican ballgame, each of these massive heads has unique features which suggests they depict specific...