Olmec civilization

The Olmec civilization was the earliest in Mesoamerica, emerging from farming communities in the fertile Gulf Coast region. Pre-Olmec cultures had flourished in the area since about 2500 BCE, but by 1600–1500 BCE, Early Olmec culture had emerged. Few Olmec settlements survive, and most of what currently know about the civilization has been learned from its ceremonial centers.

The Olmecs began building pyramids between 2000 to 1500 BC, The pyramid they built are La Venta was one of the tallest ones their culture produced; it stood 112 feet high. They built rooms on each level, or tier and then filled them with the rock, sand and gravel.

Perhaps the most significant factor in the emergence of the Olmec tradition is the flooding that occurs every year during the rainy season.

The Olmecs seem to have dominated or at least heavily influenced most of Mesoamerica for many centuries.

They built up a vast trading network. This was partly due to their need to obtain certain raw materials. Iron ore was needed to make mirrors for the elite to wear to show their status, while jade and stingray spines were used to make ceremonial needles for bloodletting rituals.

Human played a central role in Olmec art and are portrayed in a variety of forms ranging from realistic portraits, as in the colossal heads, to fantastic human-animal hybrids.
Olmec civilization