Olmec
The Olmec Indians developed the first major civilization in present-day Mexico. Their culture flourished between about 1200 and 400 BC. It is often called the region's “mother culture” because it influenced the civilizations of the Maya, Toltec, Aztec, and other later Indian peoples.
The Olmec people lived in the hot, humid lowlands along the Gulf coast of what are now the Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. They built large urban centers, where they came together to trade and perform ceremonies. The most important were San Lorenzo, La Venta, and Tres Zapotes. These centers included stone houses for the wealthy that were built along paved roads. The centers also housed great pyramids with flat-tops that served as temples.
Outside the ceremonial centers lived Olmec farmers. They burned the land to clear large fields. There they grew corn, which was the most important food in the Olmec diet.
The Olmec people were divided into different social classes. The highest class was made up of priests who performed religious ceremonies. A person's social class was determined at birth and could never change.
Between 1100 and 800 BC the Olmec developed a wide trading network. They traded goods with peoples in the Valley of Mexico to the northwest and in other parts of Central America to the southeast. Common Olmec trade items were pottery and small sculptures made of jade. These sculptures often depicted a jaguar. In the Olmec religion, the jaguar was considered a god.
The Olmec also carved huge heads from basalt, a type of volcanic rock. These sculptures measured as high as 10 feet (3 meters) and weighed as much as 20 tons. The carving on the heads depicted flat human faces and helmetlike headgear.
The achievements of the Olmec also included the invention of an early number system and calendar. In addition, they developed a system of hieroglyphics, or picture writing.
Olmec culture began to fade in about 400 BC. It is uncertain what happened to the Olmec people. They may have fallen victim to Indian invaders, crop failures, or disease. One theory says that the Olmec left their lands and moved eastward, where they became the ancestors of the Maya.
