![]() The Olmec civilization proves similar to many others that developed in Latin America, in that they left behind intriguing clues that still have not been solved.Ĭolossal heads found buried in the former Olmec cradle of civilization raise interesting questions about the culture and technological capacity of the Olmec people.Īdditionally, the Olmec heads are not an entirely unique phenomenon. Ten of the 17 heads have been found at San Lorenzo, arranged in a plaza with red sand and yellow gravel. Stirling, who noted it was both realistic and negroid in character. The 17 heads were found across three sites in Mexico: La Venta, Tres Zapotes, and San Lorenzo. Whatever the purpose of the heads, they were left underground for 3,000 years until the first head was re-discovered in 1871 CE, with the most recent excavation in 1994 CE. Other theories suggest perhaps the figures were famous ball-court players, with the reasoning that the flattened noses and grimaces on the faces of the heads reflected the highly aggressive sport. Miller posits this could have been an act of remembrance following that ruler’s death.Ĭonversely, the heads may have been defaced and buried by subsequent rulers to more strongly legitimize their claim to power. Miller identified one of the heads to be the second-millennium BCE ruler of San Lorenzo. While the heads have been dated to either the Early Preclassic period (1500–1000 BC) and the Middle Preclassic (1000–400 BC) period, it is difficult to say for sure, given that many were removed from their prior contexts before archaeological excavation.Īlthough the reason why the Olmec created the colossal heads remains unclear, there are many theories.īecause all of the heads have different facial features, they could be portraits of the rulers, as scholar M.E. Most of the heads are wearing a protective helmet, which was worn by the Olmec during battle and the Mesoamerican ballgame, and it is likely they were originally painted with bright colors. After their creation, the heads were then transported 100 kilometers to their final destination where they were buried. The heads were carved from a single basalt boulder retrieved from Cerro Cintepec in the Tuxtla Mountains. Perhaps more than any other aspect of the Olmec heads, their size is cause for a great deal of analysis and speculation. The Olmec colossal heads are aptly named - of the 17 uncovered in the region, the average weight is around 8 tons, standing three meters tall and four and a half meters circumference. , although its influence is obvious in the Mayan and Aztec civilizations that followed. While the Olmecs seem to have been well-established tradesmen with routes, the civilization vanished around 300 B.C. The fine Olmec artwork survived in several ways, including figurines, sculptures, and of course, the colossal heads. Evidence has also been found for Olmec hieroglyphs around 650 B.C., as well as scripts on roller stamps and stone artifacts. ![]() Olmecs were the first inhabitants of the Americas to settle in towns and cities with monumental architecture. ![]() They are credited with being the first civilization to develop in Mesoamerica, with the Olmec heartland being one of the six cradles of civilization. The Olmec people lived in Southeastern Mexico between 1,500 and 400 B.C., in the lowlands of what is today Tabasco and Veracruz. The Olmec heads have become yet another famous and mysterious element of ancient cultures we just haven’t solved yet. Not of the people themselves, but the 8-ton sculptures of heads they buried underground. When it comes to the Olmec people, one giant factor continues to be debated: their colossal heads. In South America alone, we see cases of anomalous disappearances and unexplained history such as the Incas’ abandoned citadel, Machu Picchu, and the mysterious Mayans’ disappearance, which continue providing fodder for questions about what really happened to these societies. Many ancient civilizations left behind intrigue even archaeologists still puzzle over today. ![]()
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