Wrought in a large number of media-jade, clay, basalt, and greenstone, among others-much Olmec art, such as The Wrestler, is surprisingly naturalistic. The Olmec culture was defined and unified by a specific art style, and this continues to be the hallmark of the culture. Religious activities regarding these deities probably included the elite rulers, shamans, and possibly a priest class making offerings at religious sites in La Venta and San Lorenzo. Deities often represented a natural element and included: These gods were believed to provide the rulers a mandate to lead. The Olmec Dragon was shown with flame eyebrows, a bulbous nose, and bifurcated tongue. For example, the Bird Monster was depicted as a harpy eagle associated with rulership. There were eight different androgynous Olmec deities, each with its own distinct characteristics. Olmec king: Surviving art, like this relief of a king or chief found in La Venta, help provide clues about how Olmec society functioned. They also likely had gardens, in which the Olmec would grow medicinal herbs and small crops, like sunflowers. Individual homes had a lean-to and a storage pit nearby. However, these cities were used predominantly for ceremonial purposes and elite activity most people lived in small villages. Trading helped the Olmec build their urban centers of San Lorenzo and La Venta. The Olmec period saw a significant increase in the length of trade routes, the variety of goods, and the sources of traded items. In fact, Olmec artifacts have been found across Mesoamerica, indicating that there were extensive interregional trade routes. There are no written records of Olmec commerce, beliefs, or customs, but from the archeological evidence it appears they were not economically confined. Possible river or weather changes caused this movement to occur. San Lorenzo remained the Olmec capital up until about 900 BCE, when the central city became La Venta, which remained functional until the demise of the Olmec around 400 BCE. Here the Olmec constructed permanent city-temple complexes at San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, La Venta, Tres Zapotes, and Laguna de los Cerros. The Tuxtlas Mountains rise sharply in the north, along the Gulf of Mexico’s Bay of Campeche. This area is characterized by swampy lowlands punctuated by low hills, ridges, and volcanoes. The Gulf of Mexico’s lowlands are generally considered the birthplace of the Olmec culture, and remained the heartland of this civilization during its existence. Judging from the available archeological evidence it is likely that they originated the Mesoamerican ballgame and possible that they practiced ritual bloodletting. They were the first Mesoamerican civilization and laid many of the foundations for the civilizations that followed, such as the Maya. Pre-Olmec cultures had flourished in the area since about 2500 BCE, but by 1600–1500 BCE, Early Olmec culture had emerged. The Olmec flourished during Mesoamerica’s formative period, dating roughly from as early as 1500 BCE to about 400 BCE. They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the present-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco, and had their center in the city of La Venta. The Olmec were the first major civilization in Mexico. These sculptures most likely represent important rulers. Olmec colossal heads: Basalt sculptures of human faces wearing large helmeted headdresses that stand up to 3.4 meters high.It most likely originated in the Olmec culture. Mesoamerican ballgame: An ancient ritual sport that involved keeping a rubber ball in play in designated courts.La Venta: The main city of the Olmec civilization.The decline of the Olmec population from 400-350 BCE may have been due to environmental changes.People lived in small agricultural villages outside of urban centers, which were mainly for ceremonial use.Little is known about Olmec religion, though scholars believe there were eight main deities.The Olmec lived in south-central Mexico, with their center in La Venta in Tabasco.
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