Olmec calendar and other lost knowledge of the ancient state. The mysterious Olmec civilization The most important achievements of the Olmecs

The Olmec buildings did not have complex forms, like those of later tribes, but they were massive and original. Several features of the architecture of the first American tribe can be identified. The base of ancient temples was either a square or a rectangle. These structures themselves resembled a pyramid.

It is assumed that buildings of this shape are easier to construct than, for example, cubic ones; they turn out taller and more stable. Unlike the Egyptian pyramids, the Mesoamerican ones (and the Olmec architectural style was adopted by all Central American tribes without exception) were built with stairs leading from the base to a temple located at the top (usually with two rooms). If the structure was large, not two, but four stairs went up - on all sides of the pyramid. The second type of buildings are the so-called palaces, which were more likely residential buildings of the nobility. These buildings were also located on small elevations, but inside they were divided into several narrow and elongated rooms. The main totem animal of the Olmecs is the jaguar (according to legend, this tribe originated from the union of a divine jaguar and a mortal woman), which is confirmed by numerous archaeological finds, both sculptural and architectural.

Amazing archaeological finds.

One of the centers of Olmec culture was the city of San Andres, located about 5 km northeast of La Venta (now part of the city of Villahermosa). During excavations, an amazing discovery was discovered that pushed back the date of the appearance of the first writing in Mesoamerica by at least 300 years - it was a fist-sized ceramic cylinder with hieroglyphs depicted on the sides. It was used as a writing instrument. Olmec stone heads, unfortunately, are not as famous as the Easter Island statues, however, they are also striking, primarily for their monumentality (their weight is about 30 tons, in circumference - 7 m, height - 2.5 m) and realism . Several more of the most notable and large Olmec cities can be identified: these are San Lorenzo, Las Limas, Lagunade Los Cerros and Llano de Jicaro (the ruins of a basalt processing workshop were found there). Among other finds, it is worth highlighting sensational children's toys. The fact is that many of them depict various animals on wheels, but for a long time it was believed that the population of pre-Columbian America was not familiar with wheels!

San Lorenzo is one of the first cities in America.

The most famous and first main Olmec city is San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo), which existed for 500 years. Historians have come to the conclusion that 5 thousand inhabitants lived here. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to see one of the first Mesoamerican cities. Almost nothing remains of the once largest settlement in America due to terrible weather conditions, gluttonous time and inaction of the authorities, and tourists are much more interested in the Mayans and Aztecs. However, in the territory of San Lorenzo (now the town of Tenochtitlan) there is the oldest pyramid in America, whose steps are decorated with a carved image of a bogajaguar. Drainage systems, stone heads and a court for the iconic ball game were also discovered here. The last structure consisted of two parallel inclined walls made of stone. The game itself took place below, and the spectators sat on the walls.

La Venta is an open-air museum.

The best preserved and richest Olmec city is La Venta. San Lorenzo gradually fell into decay and by 900 BC. e. the center of Olmec culture moves south. This is due to the aggressive raids (relations between the Olmec tribes were by no means peaceful) and changes in the river bed, which played one of the determining roles in those days. Goods were delivered along the river, water was diverted from it to ensure the livelihoods of people, and, among other things, they fished in it, which, along with agriculture, was the main occupation of the Olmecs. In La Venta there is also a large accumulation of the famous Olmec stone sculptures - huge heads of outwardly Negroid origin, which gives rise to certain thoughts about the origin of this ancient people. The abundance of such finds is amazing, because there was not a single quarry nearby.

By the time of the heyday of La Venta (starting from the 9th century BC), complex mosaics began to be created in the city, new monumental sculptures were built - steles and rich burials, created using basalt columns placed close to each other. Sarcophagi, many figurines and decorations were found in these chambers. Most of the finds were transported to the museum of the city of Villahermosa (the capital of the Mexican state of Tabasco), to La Venta Park - to the territory occupied by the ancient city.

Conclusion.

For a long time it was believed that the Olmecs - the first civilization of Mesoamerica - suddenly abandoned their cities and disappeared into in an unknown direction, “like the Baltic water disappeared through the earth.” In fact, unlike the same water, which literally went underground, the Olmecs simply left the area they had inhabited for centuries and began to move north, deep into the continent. The reasons for this could be droughts, volcanic eruptions or other natural disasters, which led to the fact that the territory occupied by the Olmecs became uninhabitable. The reason for this, in turn, could be a change in the direction of river beds or their complete disappearance, because water in those days played a decisive role in the life of the population, especially in such a climatically difficult territory as Central America (however, for the Mayans the lack of water was not an obstacle, but this will be discussed later).

It was not difficult for the Olmecs to find new territories suitable for existence, since during their trading campaigns they had already repeatedly visited the settlements of neighboring tribes. The movement of the Olmecs to the north led to the gradual assimilation of this distinctive civilization with other Indian tribes. It should be noted that the history of the Maya lasts almost in parallel with the existence of the Olmecs (the first of the known cities of the tribe - Cueyo (Belize) - dates back to 2000 BC), however, the heyday of the Maya began precisely from the moment of the “disappearance” of the Olmecs. From this we can conclude that the latter, assimilating with other Indians, as if in exchange for the right to live on foreign territory, taught their former neighbors and trading partners the social and political system and enriched their culture with their skills. The principles of building society, writing, astronomy, mathematics - this is only a small part of the knowledge, the appearance of which the Mayans and subsequently other Indian tribes of America owe to the Olmecs.

Mysterious disappearances. Mysticism, secrets, clues Dmitrieva Natalia Yurievna

Olmec

The Olmec civilization has undoubted evidence of its existence in the form of archaeological finds. However, the mysteries of its origin and death have not yet been solved by scientists. The name “Olmec” itself is conventionally taken from the historical chronicles of the Aztecs, where one of the tribes of this civilization is mentioned with this name. The word "Olmec" translated from the Mayan language means "inhabitant of the land of rubber."

The Olmecs lived in what is today southern and central Mexico. The most ancient traces of civilization date back to 1400 BC. e. In the city of San Lorenzo, the remains of a large (probably the main) Olmec settlement were discovered. But there were other settlements, the largest of which were in the places of La Venta and Tres Zapotes.

Many researchers consider the Olmecs to be the ancestors of other Meso-American civilizations, which is confirmed by Indian legends. What is certain is that the Olmecs are one of the earliest cultures of Central America.

Based on the discovered artifacts, it can be judged that the Olmecs developed construction, art, and trade. Their pyramids, courtyards (probably intended for some kind of ceremonies), tombs, temples, mounds, water supply systems and huge monuments in the form of stone heads have reached us. The first such head was discovered in 1862 near the settlement of Tres Zapotes, after which a research “boom” began regarding the Indian culture discovered in the forests of Mexico (although immediately after the discovery it was believed that this was the “head of an African,” or, as it is called this day, "the head of an Ethiopian"). This famous head was only completely excavated in 1939–1940. It turned out that the height of the stone head is 1.8 m, and the circumference is 5.4 m, and this huge monument is carved from a single piece of basalt. The question still remains open of how such a large piece of rock was delivered to the place where the statue is now located, if the nearest basalt deposit is located tens of kilometers from this place (the Olmecs, according to archaeologists, did not know wheels and did not have draft animals ). Subsequently, 16 more such heads were found, up to 3 m high and weighing up to 20 tons each. Most scholars are inclined to believe that these heads depicted the leaders of the Olmec tribes. But some modern researchers believe that the giant heads could not have been made by the Olmecs, but by representatives of earlier civilizations: for example, the legendary Atlanteans, while the Olmecs themselves were only the descendants of these civilizations and the “guardians” of huge statues.

In the first half of the 20th century, Mexican archaeologists discovered the city of Sin Cabezas, which means “Headless”. The scientists themselves gave this name to the found city because of the numerous headless statues located in this ancient settlement. However, some stone giants have survived to this day completely intact. In addition to heads and statues, Olmec sculpture is represented in stone altars and carved steles, as well as in small jade and clay (less often granite) figurines depicting people and animals.

Various expeditions that were sent to search for and study artifacts in the first half of the 20th century led to many new discoveries, but some evidence of the existence of the Olmec culture was first erroneously attributed to the Mayan culture due to the similarity of faces.

Archaeologists had to get to the remains of ancient settlements and stone sculptures through impenetrable jungles, tropical rivers and swamps, and climb mountains: by that time, traces of ancient civilization were already quite cut off from modern settlements and roads. This complicated the research, but gradually, based on new information, scientists discovered an increasingly clear picture of the existence of the Olmec civilization. Stylized masks and human figures carved on steles and stone boxes, according to researchers, are images of gods revered by the Olmecs. And in the luxurious tomb found in La Venta, presumably, the Olmec ruler, who lived 9-10 centuries before the Aztecs appeared in these places, is buried. Archaeologists have found jewelry, figurines, and unusual tools in sarcophagi and tombs.

The Olmec pyramids probably served as temple complexes. They were arranged not in the “usual” pyramidal shape, but with a round base, from which several round “petals” “departed.” Scientists explain this shape by its resemblance to volcanic hills preserved after eruptions: the Olmecs believed that fire gods lived in volcanoes, and temple complexes in honor of the same gods were built in the likeness of extinct volcanoes. The pyramids themselves were made of clay and lined with lime mortar.

The appearance of the Olmecs can presumably be reconstructed from the numerous sculptures found: Mongoloid-type eyes, a flattened nose, plump, flattened lips. The sculptures have purposefully deformed heads. More accurate information could be obtained from the remains of the Olmecs discovered in the tombs, but not a single complete skeleton was preserved.

According to Aztec legends, the Olmecs arrived in their habitat by boat from the northern shore. In the place where the city of Panutla is now located, they left the boats and followed the instructions of the gods to the area of ​​Tamoanchan (translated from the Mayan language - “land of rain and fog”), where they founded their civilization. Other Indian legends do not explain the appearance of the Olmec civilization: they only say that the Olmecs lived in those places since ancient times.

According to Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl, the Olmec civilization may have been brought to Central America from the Mediterranean and Ancient Egypt. This is indicated not only by Indian legends, but also by the similarity of Olmec buildings, writing, and the art of mummification with similar evidence of Old World cultures. Such an assumption would explain the fact that during archaeological research no signs of the evolution of the Olmec civilization were found: it seemed to have arisen in an already prosperous form and just as suddenly ended its existence. However, this is also just a guess. Many scientists are still confident that civilizations in different parts of the Earth could have developed in a similar pattern, being in absolute isolation from each other.

The emergence of the Olmec culture dates back to approximately the second millennium BC. e. According to later archaeological research, it may have developed from the early agricultural cultures of Central America, which gradually evolved from nomadic cultures as a result of changing natural conditions. The most ancient nomadic tribes of South and Central America, according to scientists, came from Asia at a time when there was still a land connection between these continents. According to paleoanthropologists, representatives of the Negroid race could also have entered the territory of Central America during the last ice age. This goes some way to explaining the facial features reflected in the giant Olmec heads. Other researchers believe that ancient Australians and Europeans could have entered the Meso-American territory by water. Perhaps the Olmec civilization appeared entirely as a result of the mixing of people from different continents.

In 1200-900 BC e. the main Olmec settlement (at San Lorenzo) was abandoned: probably as a result of internal rebellion. The “capital” of the Olmec kingdom moved to La Venta, located 55 miles to the east, among the swamps near the Tonala River. An Olmec settlement at La Venta existed from 1000-600. BC e. or in 800–400. BC e. (according to various research data).

The Olmecs abandoned the eastern parts of their lands around 400 BC. e. Possible reasons include climate change, volcanic eruptions and the capture of some of the Olmecs by representatives of other civilizations. Archaeologists date the dates carved by the Olmecs on stone steles and figurines to the last centuries BC. These are the oldest written dates found in Central America, older than the writing of the Mayan civilization. When Olmec artifacts with dates were discovered, researchers, after much debate, came to the conclusion that the Mayans borrowed their writing and their calendar from the Olmecs.

Interestingly, many stone statues and giant heads belonging to the Olmec culture were deliberately damaged in ancient times: perhaps by the Olmecs themselves. In addition, some statues at the same ancient time were clearly moved from their original places or were also purposefully covered with earth, after which the “grave” was lined with tiles or multi-colored clay.

Some studies suggest that the Olmec civilization flourished in the 1st century BC. e. - I century AD e. It is from this period that all examples of Olmec writing, as well as the most advanced objects of art, are dated. Thus, the Olmecs and Mayans coexisted next to each other for some time.

Researcher Michael Ko believes that the ancestors of the Mayans once lived in the territory of the Olmecs: when the culture of San Lorenzo and La Venta declined, the bulk of the Olmecs moved to the east and gradually turned into the Mayan civilization. According to other researchers, the Mayans and Olmecs developed simultaneously and, despite the existing family ties between these two civilizations, the Mayans cannot be descendants of the Olmecs. The latter assumption is supported by data from the most recent archaeological research. But in this case, where and for what reason did the Olmecs disappear? Scientists have yet to answer this question.

Civilization arose in the 30th century. back.

Civilization stopped in the 25th century. back.

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The most productive civilizational territory of the American continent, the Zone of High Civilizations, is considered to be Middle America. It is divided into three regions: Mesoamerica; Andean region (Bolivia - Peru); intermediate region between them (southern Central America, Colombia, Ecuador).

Mesoamerica is considered a zone of high civilizations. Researchers include the following civilizations here:
Olmec civilization.
Aztec civilization.
Mayan civilization of the classical period (I-IX centuries AD)
Teotihuacan civilization.

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Olmec Civilization - pThe first civilization of Mesoamerica on the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico (Tabasco, Veracruz).

The population of these regions at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. (800-400 BC) reached a high level of culture: at this time the first “ritual centers” appeared in La Venta, San Lorenzo and Tres Zapotes, pyramids were built from adobes (adobe) and clay, carved stone monuments with subjects of predominantly mythological and religious content.

Among the latter, giant stone anthropomorphic heads in helmets, whose weight sometimes reaches 20 tons, stand out. The Olmec style of art is characterized by low-relief carvings on basalt and jade. Its main motif was the figure of a crying chubby child with the features of a jaguar given to him. These “jaguar babies” adorned elegant jade amulets, massive celtic axes (the Olmecs had a cult of the stone ax as a symbol of fertility), and giant basalt steles.

Another notable feature of the “Olmec” culture was the following ritual: in deep pits in the central squares of the settlements, caches were set up with offerings to the gods in the form of hewn blocks of jade and serpentine, celt axes and figurines from the same materials, etc., weighing a total of tens of centners . These materials were delivered to the “Olmec” centers from afar: for example, to La Venta - from a distance of 160 and even 500 km.
Excavations at another "Olmec" village - San Lorenzo - also revealed giant heads and rows of ritually buried monumental sculptures in a purely "Olmec" style.

A series of radiocarbon dates place this at 1200-900. BC e. It was on the basis of the above data that the hypothesis was formulated that the “Olmecs” are the creators of the earliest civilization of Mesoamerica (1200-900 BC) and from it all the other highly developed cultures of Mesoamerica descend - Zapotec, Teotihuacan, Maya etc. At the same time, today we have to say that the “Olmec” problem is still very far from being resolved.

We do not know the ethnicity of the bearers of this culture (the term “Olmec” is borrowed from the name of those ethnic groups that settled on the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico on the eve of the Conquest). There is no clarity about the main stages in the development of the Olmec culture, the exact chronology and material signs of these stages.
The general territory of distribution of this culture and its socio-political organization are also unknown.

The Olmec culture with all its manifestations reflects a long path of development: from the end of the 2nd millennium BC. e. until the middle - last centuries of the 1st millennium BC. e. It can be assumed that “ritual centers” with monumental sculpture appear in Veracruz and Tabasco around the first half of the 1st millennium BC. e. (possibly even in 800 BC), as in La Venta.
But everything that is represented there archaeologically in 800-400. BC e., fully corresponds to the level of “chiefdoms”, “tribal unions”, i.e. the final stage of the primitive communal era.

The first examples of writing and calendar known to us appear on “Olmec” monuments only from the 1st century. BC e. (Stele C in Tres Zapotes, etc.). On the other hand, the same “ritual centers” - with pyramids, monuments and calendar hieroglyphic inscriptions - have been represented in Oaxaca since the 7th-6th centuries. BC e., and without inscriptions - in mountainous Guatemala, among the ancestors of the Mayans, at least from the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. Thus, the question of the “ancestor culture” that gave birth to all the others now disappears for Mesoamerica: apparently, parallel development took place in several key areas at once - the Valley of Mexico, the Oaxaca Valley, mountainous Guatemala, the Mayan lowland areas, etc.

One of the first Meso-American societies, the Olmecs inhabited the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico. The first traces of the Olmecs, dating back to 1400 BC, were found in the city of San Lorenzo, where the main settlement was located, connected to 2 other centers, Tenochtitlan and Potrero Nuevo. The Olmecs were skilled builders. Each important site contained ceremonial courts, mounds, conical pyramids and stone monuments, including the famous huge head.

Olmec civilization depended on trade both between different Olmec regions and with other Meso-American peoples. As one of the earliest and most advanced Meso-American cultures of the time, the Olmecs are often considered the progenitor culture of other Meso-American peoples. In 400 BC. The eastern part of the Olmec lands became deserted, possibly due to environmental changes. People may also have moved due to volcanic activity. Another popular theory is that they were captured, but no one can say who.

The hallmark of the Olmecs are considered to be giant sculptures in the form of heads located in modern Mexico. The heyday of the Olmec state occurred between 1500 and 400 BC; according to historians, this people achieved impressive successes in architecture, agriculture, medicine, writing and other branches of knowledge. The Olmecs had a fairly accurate calendar and a mathematical system that used the number “0,” which can be considered a real breakthrough.

Olmec - c evilization, whose disappearance still baffles scientists.

Having existed for more than a thousand years, the Olmec civilization, for reasons still unclear, fell into decline, but other civilizations arose on its ruins.

Olmecs - ohsociety and archaeological culture that existed on the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the 2nd - 1st millennium BC. e. The earliest traces of habitation were found in the La Venta area and date back to the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e. The first settlers developed the ecological zones of the river estuaries and created an integrated economy using agriculture (maize, which produced three crops a year, beans, avocados), sea and river resources. The first settlements were small villages in irrigated areas. (Belyaev)

INend of the 2nd millennium BC e. The flourishing of the culture of the Atlantic coast of the current state of Veracruz begins, which received the name Olmec (from the Aztec word “olmi” - rubber). The Aztecs named them after the area on the Gulf Coast where rubber was produced and where the contemporary Olmecs lived. According to the most ancient legend, the Olmecs (“people from the land of rubber trees”) appeared on the territory of modern Tabasco about 4000 years ago, they arrived by sea and settled in the village of Tamoanchane (“We are looking for our home”).

According to the same legend, it is said that the sages sailed away, and the remaining people settled these lands and began to call themselves by the name of their great leader Olmec Wimtoni. According to another legend, the Olmecs appeared as a result of the union of the divine animal jaguar with a mortal woman. Since then, the Olmecs considered jaguars as their totems, and they began to be called the Jaguar Indians. (Belyaev)

ABOUThowever, despite all the efforts of archaeologists, no traces of the origin and evolution of the Olmec civilization, the stages of its development, or the place of its origin have been found anywhere. Little is known about the social organization of the Olmecs, and about their beliefs and rituals - except that they, it seems, also did not disdain human sacrifice.

It is unknown what language the Olmecs spoke and what ethnic group they belonged to. On top of this, the high humidity in the Gulf of Mexico has meant that not a single Olmec skeleton has survived, making it extremely difficult for archaeologists to shed light on the culture of Mesoamerica's oldest civilization. (Belyaev)

NSome scholars believe that the first empire in America was the Olmec. This was due to the creation of cities (ritual centers) with a unique, simple and powerful architecture. (Belyaev)

PThe first and most ancient capital of Indian America is considered to be San Lorenzo (1400-900 BC). It is located on a natural plateau, the slopes of which have been modified to create numerous residential terraces. According to archaeologists, up to 5 thousand inhabitants lived in it. The city was still patronized by the almighty jaguar god. His masks decorated the corners of the steps of the pyramid (the oldest known today in America), which is a cone with a base diameter of about 130 m, but with an irregular projection.

In the city, 10 colossal Olmec heads made of basalt were also found, as well as throne altars and several dozen anthropomorphic and zoomorphic sculptures. The colossal heads obviously represented the supreme leaders. These ten heads from San Lorenzo probably represent ten generations of the dynasty that ruled the valley. Coatzacoalcos for 250 years (1150-900 BC). (Belyaev)

INThe second ritual center-city of the first level of the Olmecs was La Venta. The city was home to a large architectural complex consisting of two temples and several pyramidal platforms. Ancient settlers chose this place back in 1400 BC, where they erected one of the oldest settlements. La Venta was built on the greatest scale. And by 900 B.C. the city becomes an important center of another important chiefdom with its colossal Olmec heads. There is a sharp rise in the power of La Venta.

Perhaps this was due to another change in the course of the Bari River. From the turn of the 2nd-1st millennium BC. it ran 2 km from Group A in La Venta, which made it possible to control communications and facilitate the movement of resources. In the La Venta area, a three-level settlement hierarchy is finally being formed: settlements without maunds - settlements with a central maund - settlements with several maunds. The population of the zone between La Venta and San Miguel (these monuments are separated by about 40 km) was at least 10,000 people. (Belyaev)

Mbetween 900 and 600 BC e there were at least five complex chiefdoms on the Gulf Coast - San Lorenzo, La Venta, Las Limas, Laguna de Los Cerros and the peripheral Tres Zapotes. They controlled the entire Olman (about 12,000 sq. km). (Belyaev)

4 00 BC chosen by researchers as the end of the Olmec archaeological culture, although this is rather a convention. Rather, we should be talking about the end of one stage in the history of the region and the beginning of another. Tres Zapotes is still alive, as is Laguna de Los Cerros. In general, however, the core of political and cultural development moves north to the Tuxtla mountains and spreads along the coast of Veracruz. Along with the old centers, new ones are growing - Cerro de Las Mesas, Viejon. The new capitals retain many of the traditions of their predecessors; therefore, the late Formative society of the Gulf Coast was called Epiolmec. (Belyaev D)

WITHTirling discovered children's toys in the form of dogs on wheels. This find became a sensation - it was believed that the civilizations of pre-Columbian America did not know wheels. But it turned out that this is not so. The central place in Olmec art was occupied by a character whose appearance combined the features of a growling jaguar and a crying human child.

EIts appearance is captured both in giant basalt sculptures, the weight of which often reaches several tons, and in small carvings. There is no doubt that this were-jaguar represented a rain deity, whose cult arose earlier than the cults of the other gods of the Mesoamerican pantheon known to us. (Belyaev)

RThe diet of the ancient Olmecs was also based on a “corn” diet, like other peoples of the rest of pre-Columbian America; the main agricultural crop of the Olmecs was maize. The main sectors of the economy were agriculture and fishing. (Belyaev)

ABOUTThe Lmec culture is called the "mother of cultures" of Central America and the earliest civilization of Mexico. They are credited with creating the basis of writing, a calendar, and a system of numbers for later cultures of Mesoamerica. But there is still heated debate around this - not many agree that the Olmecs invented it. (Belyaev D)

INIn the last century BC, the Olmec civilization completely disappeared, but their heritage organically entered the cultures of the Mayans and other peoples of Mesoamerica. (Belyaev)

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ABOUTThe Lmecs were the earliest civilization of Central America, consisting of many small settlements that flourished along the Gulf of Mexico in central Mexico from 1200 to 600 BC. The origins of the Olmec culture are unclear, with some scholars favoring the theory that it was local farmers who transformed into tribes and later cultural societies, and others that the Olmecs were the result of migration from Guerrero or Oaxa.

High levels of agricultural production were key to their success. Olmec settlements were based mainly on the banks of slow-flowing rivers, which, when in flood, fed fertile alluvial soils.

WITHen Lorenzo, occupied from 1,200 to 900 BC, is considered the main Olmec settlement. Along with it, there were two other centers: Tenochtitlan (not the capital of the Aztecs, but simply a settlement with the same name) and Portero Nuevo. All Olmec ceremonial centers were complexes of platforms on which were built ceremonial palaces, mounds, stone statues (including carved boulders, altars, and huge free-themed sculptures) and large conical pyramids.

Huge stone heads seem to be the most extraordinary product of architectural thought. They reach a height of three meters and are believed to represent portraits of the Olmec ruling families and elite. To build these things, it took the labor of villagers living in low-lying areas.

Ttrade was a very important matter and was again concentrated in ceremonial centers, where obsidian, serpentine, mica, magnetic iron ore and other materials were exchanged. There were both local retail chains and regional chains. Thus, the Olmec way of life and their complex cosmology spread, along with the objects of exchange, over a fairly large area.

The Olmec priests came up with a 260-day calendar, and a set of beliefs that included the werewolf jaguar (a mythical creature that shifted from man to jaguar) and the burning serpent. The Olmec style of art is especially evident in sculpture, and is very realistic in its representation of natural and supernatural forms. Crafts are represented by works made of shells and jadeite.

TOBy 600 BC, the Olmec culture declined and the exchange systems decreased in intensity. But still, thanks to the existence of the Olmecs, further civilizations of Central America received a good cultural heritage.

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P After the symposium “Regional Perspectives on the Olmec Problem” in 1983, it was decided to use the term “Olmec” in a narrow sense: a society and archaeological culture that existed on the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the 2nd - 1st millennium BC. e.

WITH The earliest traces of habitation were found in the La Venta area and date back to the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e. The first settlers developed the ecological zones of the river estuaries and created an integrated economy using agriculture (maize, which produced three crops a year, beans, avocados), sea and river resources. The first settlements were small villages in irrigated areas.

IN end of the 2nd millennium BC e. a sedentary lifestyle becomes dominant and ceremonial centers appear on the Gulf Coast and in the highlands. The culture of the Atlantic coast of the current state of Veracruz began to flourish, which received the name Olmec (from the Aztec word “olmi” - rubber). The Aztecs named them after the area on the Gulf Coast where rubber was produced and where the contemporary Olmecs lived. So the Olmecs themselves and the Olmec culture are not at all the same thing.
According to the most ancient legend, the Olmecs (“people from the land of rubber trees”) appeared on the territory of modern Tabasco about 4000 years ago, they arrived by sea and settled in the village of Tamoanchane (“We are looking for our home”). According to the same legend, it is said that the sages sailed away, and the remaining people settled these lands and began to call themselves by the name of their great leader Olmec Wimtoni.
According to another legend, the Olmecs appeared as a result of the union of the divine animal jaguar with a mortal woman. Since then, the Olmecs considered jaguars as their totems, and they began to be called the Jaguar Indians.

ABOUT however, despite all the efforts of archaeologists, no traces of the origin and evolution of the Olmec civilization, the stages of its development, or the place of its origin have been found anywhere. Little is known about the social organization of the Olmecs, and about their beliefs and rituals - except that they, it seems, also did not disdain human sacrifice. It is unknown what language the Olmecs spoke and what ethnic group they belonged to. On top of this, the high humidity in the Gulf of Mexico has meant that not a single Olmec skeleton has survived, making it extremely difficult for archaeologists to shed light on the culture of Mesoamerica's oldest civilization.

N Some scholars believe that the first empire in America was the Olmec. This was due to the creation of cities (ritual centers) with a unique, simple and powerful architecture.

P The first and most ancient capital of Indian America is considered to be San Lorenzo (1400-900 BC). It is located on a natural plateau, the slopes of which have been modified to create numerous residential terraces. According to archaeologists, up to 5 thousand inhabitants lived in it. The city was still patronized by the almighty jaguar god. His masks decorated the corners of the steps of the pyramid (the oldest known today in America), which is a cone with a base diameter of about 130 m, but with an irregular projection. Two mounds stretch from the pyramid (mound is an earthen embankment, mound), between which there is a stone mosaic platform in the shape of a jaguar’s muzzle. Also built in the city were the first ball court, stone drainage systems and stone sculptures.
Between 1150 and 900 BC. San Lorenzo grew into a vast settlement occupying the top and slopes of a low plateau. Its area is defined in different ways: 52.9 hectares, 300 hectares and even 690 hectares (the latter figure is clearly exaggerated).
Archaeological research in the river valley Coatzacoalcos revealed a three-level settlement hierarchy. The first level is represented by San Lorenzo. The second level (type 6 in the classification of the San Lorenzo project) are settlements with terraces and an area of ​​up to 25 hectares. There are four of them (San Antonio, Huatepec, Loma del Zapote and an unnamed settlement near the Pena Blanca hill) and they are located on hills at approximately the same distance from each other. The third level consists of numerous villages and isolated households.
The buildings discovered at the site in the 1990s were located on low, no more than 2 m, platforms. The most important of them was the so-called "Red Palace". It was a large, long building with walls made of rammed earth and limestone and sandstone slabs. Under the floor was an aqueduct made of basalt trenches. Judging by the soil analysis, the roof of the “palace” was made of palm leaves. The central support for the roof was a basalt column. Another important structure (D4-7), 12 m long and apsidal in plan, stood on a clay platform measuring 75 by 50 m.
In the city, 10 colossal Olmec heads made of basalt were also found, as well as throne altars and several dozen anthropomorphic and zoomorphic sculptures. The colossal heads obviously represented the supreme leaders. Their insignificant number and concentration in the central settlement further support this. Although the heads are not individual portraits, they are different from each other. In addition, each head has its own special helmet. It is known that in Mesoamerica, a headdress served as the main indicator of a person’s status. These ten heads from San Lorenzo probably represent ten generations of the dynasty that ruled the valley. Coatzacoalcos for 250 years (1150-900 BC). Monuments were also discovered in smaller quantities in the surrounding settlements. However, colossal heads are found only in San Lorenzo, and in second-level settlements only throne altars are found (for example, in Potrero Nuevo) and statues of seated men with signs of high status (necklaces, earrings) in complex headdresses. Findings of thrones in second-level settlements thus indicate the existence of a hierarchy of leaders.
Around 900 BC e. The heyday of San Lorenzo ends. Both historical (conquest, social struggle) and natural (volcanic activity, change in river bed) explanations have been proposed for this. However, the center itself was not abandoned (Nakaste phase, 900-700). Monumental architecture - earthen hills and platforms located around squares - belongs to the middle-format phase. A study of the settlements around also shows that the decline was relative. The settlement hierarchy still consisted of three levels: 1) San Lorenzo; 2) settlements with terraces, up to 25 hectares in area and several earthen embankments-platforms; 3) small villages without monumental architecture. Second-level centers have in some cases changed their location. In general, the number of settlements in the immediate district of San Lorenzo decreased, while those in the periphery increased. All this suggests that the complex chiefdom of San Lorenzo, although it experienced a certain crisis, remained unchanged.
By 400 B.C. San Lorenzo falls into decay, after which the city is abandoned.

IN The second ritual center-city of the first level of the Olmecs was La Venta. The city was home to a large architectural complex consisting of two temples and several pyramidal platforms. Ancient settlers chose this place back in 1400 BC, where they erected one of the oldest settlements. La Venta was built on the greatest scale. And by 900 B.C. the city becomes an important center of another important chiefdom with its colossal Olmec heads. There is a sharp rise in the power of La Venta. Perhaps this was due to another change in the course of the Bari River. From the turn of the 2nd-1st millennium BC. it ran 2 km from Group A in La Venta, which made it possible to control communications and facilitate the movement of resources. In the La Venta area, a three-level settlement hierarchy is finally being formed: settlements without maunds - settlements with a central maund - settlements with several maunds. The population of the zone between La Venta and San Miguel (these monuments are separated by about 40 km) was at least 10,000 people.
La Venta reached a size of 2 square meters. km. Its distinctive feature was the monumental earthen buildings. Their construction began in the 10th century. BC. Between 900 and 750 BC. complexes "A" and "C" were built. The central axis of the settlement was the "Great Pyramid" - a rounded earthen mound more than 30 m high. No stages were identified in the construction of the pyramid: it seems that it was erected as a one-time project in the 9th century. BC. To the north of the pyramid there is a courtyard formed by several long buildings (complex "A"). In this case, this is the earliest complex architectural ensemble in Olman - the so-called two-part complex, oriented along the north-south axis. Perhaps already at this time there was a tradition of creating complex serpentine mosaics that characterize La Venta.
The following construction stages were accompanied by the laying of mosaics from serpentine blocks (apparently these were consecration sacrifices). After 600 BC in group "D" a new complex is being built: a small pyramid oriented on a long platform. These buildings are located along a west-east line and probably represent an example of a new architectural tradition originating in Chiapas.
In the Middle Formative period, a new type of monumental sculpture appeared in La Venta - steles, of which there are eight known. Stela 1 depicts a woman wearing an elaborate headdress standing in a niche. Stela 2 shows a ruler in rich attire with a weapon in his hands, surrounded by six human figures. Stela 3 is a scene of a meeting between two noble characters; one of them is wearing a magnificent crown, as on Stela 2, and the second is depicted with a beard and a “Roman” profile, apparently personifying a type ethnically alien to the Olmecs. Stela 5 also shows several people: a ruler identified by his rich attire and a staff in his hand, a helmeted warrior or ball player in front of him, and a character with inhuman features and a net on his back. Another supernatural participant hovers above the stage - apparently a deified ancestor.
At the last stage (5th century BC), rich burials are built in complex "A" inside Mound A-2. Tomb "A" consisted of 44 basalt columns forming a chamber measuring 4 m long, 2 m wide and 1.8 m high. It contained the remains of two young men, covered with red paint and accompanied by numerous objects made of jade (anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines, pendants, beads), obsidian, magnetite, and an unusual necklace of six stingray tail spines, the center of which was an artificial spike made of jade. To the south of Tomb "A" was Tomb "E", also made of basalt columns. In front of it was found a carved stone sarcophagus (Tomb "B"), depicting a mythical beast with the features of a jaguar and an alligator. No bones were found in the sarcophagus, but only two jade earrings with pendants in the form of jaguar fangs, a serpentine figurine and a stone piercing.
The city also has colossal basalt heads - 4, and they can be dated back to 1000-900. BC.
The chiefdom of La Venta declines around 400 BC.

E Another ancient settlement is San Andres. Between 1400 and 1150 BC. a flood occurred here, probably inundating San Andres, where there is pure silt above layer 10. This apparently led to the rise of La Venta. At San Lorenzo, the earliest layers are from the Ojocha (1500-1350 BC), Bajio (1350-1250 BC) and Chicharras (1250-1150 BC) phases. ). The city is located 5.5 kilometers northeast of La Venta. In the period from 900 to 400. BC, San Andres again became the center of the Olmec civilization. At the site of this settlement, one amazing find was recently found - a ceramic cylinder the size of a fist with 2 glyphs engraved, connected by lines to the beak of a bird in such a way that it gives the impression of a bird “conversing”. Anthropologist Mary Paul (who discovered this find) believes that this is the earliest evidence of writing in Mesoamerica.

M Less ancient and smaller in size is another settlement - Tres Zapotes (1000-400 BC). However, no buildings were found here, but huge basalt sculptures were discovered - Olmec stone heads. These 3 heads from the Tres Zapotes area apparently represent the three most powerful leaders in the 11th-10th centuries. BC.

D Other important mid-format centers were Laguna de Los Cerros and Las Limas. There are 28 known stone sculptures in Laguna de Los Cerros, including zoomorphic and sessile figures, as well as statues of rulers. The center was surrounded by several smaller settlements with one or two sculptures: Cuautotolapan, La Isla, Los Mangos. Excavations located 7 km. The settlements of Llano de Jicaro revealed traces of a specialized workshop for the primary processing of monuments from the basalt of Cerro Sintepec. S. Gillespie believes that the elite of Laguna de Los Cerros partially controlled the basalt quarries and the distribution of stone throughout the Olmec region. At the same time, Tres Zapotes is declining, which may be due to the rise of Laguna de Los Cerros.

L al-Limas, located in the extreme south of Olman, has been less explored. A statue of a seated man made of greenish stone (the so-called “Ruler of Las Limas”) was discovered here. The research of J. Jadeun (1977-1978) and the subsequent work of J. Gómez Rueda showed that this site was the center of an important chiefdom, uniting at least 27 settlements of the second and third rank.

M between 900 and 600 BC e there were at least five complex chiefdoms on the Gulf Coast - San Lorenzo, La Venta, Las Limas, Laguna de Los Cerros and the peripheral Tres Zapotes. Based on the regular distribution of San Lorenzo, La Venta, Laguna de Los Cerros and Tres Zapotes (average distance of 50-60 km), T. Earl concluded that they controlled all of Olman (about 12,000 sq. km). The chiefdoms seem to have grown in size compared to early formative times: San Lorenzo probably subordinated such second-rank settlements outside the Coatzacoalcos valley proper as Estero Rabon, San Isidro and Cruz del Milagro; La Venta - Arroyo Sonzo and Los Soldados.

ABOUT The discovery of the ditched and ramparted settlement of La Oaxaqueña between San Lorenzo and Las Limas shows that relations between the Olmec chiefdoms were not peaceful. Political rivalry is also indicated by the fact that La Venta and San Lorenzo were part of various interregional political-economic networks. La Venta was allied with the chiefdoms of the Central Chiapas Basin and received obsidian from the San Martín Jilotepec mine, while San Lorenzo was allied with the polities of the Pacific coast and used obsidian from El Chayal. Images of severed human heads and weapons on the La Venta steles indicate that the military function was one of the most important among the Olmec leaders.

400 year BC chosen by researchers as the end of the Olmec archaeological culture, although this is rather a convention. Rather, we should be talking about the end of one stage in the history of the region and the beginning of another. Tres Zapotes is still alive, as is Laguna de Los Cerros. In general, however, the core of political and cultural development moves north to the Tuxtla mountains and spreads along the coast of Veracruz. Along with the old centers, new ones are growing - Cerro de Las Mesas, Viejon. The new capitals retain many of the traditions of their predecessors; therefore, the late Formative society of the Gulf Coast was called Epiolmec.

TO The Olmec stone heads are giant basalt blocks weighing up to 30 tons and having an average circumference of about 7 meters and a height of 2.5 meters. Each of the heads has its own “face” with a gaze directed into space. They wear helmets with a chin strap on their heads. The first such stone head was discovered by American archaeologist Matthew Stirling in the 1930s. He wrote then in his report: “The head was carved from a separate massive basalt block. It rested on a foundation of unprocessed stone blocks. Being cleared of the ground, the head had a rather frightening appearance. Despite its considerable size, it was processed very carefully and confidently, its the proportions are ideal. Unique among the sculptures of the natives of America, it is remarkable for its realism."

WITH Tirling also discovered children's toys in the form of dogs on wheels. This find became a sensation - it was believed that the civilizations of pre-Columbian America did not know wheels. But it turned out that this is not so.

P In addition to their heads, the ancient Olmecs left numerous examples of monumental sculpture. All of them are carved from basalt monoliths or other durable stone. The Olmecs loved to create various body decorations and a wide variety of jewelry. Their price was not gold, not silver and not precious stones, but obsidian, jasper and jade (“sun stone”) of various shades (from snow blue to azure and deep green).

C The central place in Olmec art was occupied by a character whose appearance combined the features of a growling jaguar and a crying human child. Its appearance is captured both in giant basalt sculptures, whose weight often reaches several tons, and in small carvings. There is no doubt that this were-jaguar represented a rain deity, whose cult arose earlier than the cults of the other gods of the Mesoamerican pantheon known to us.

R The diet of the ancient Olmecs was also based on a “corn” diet, like other peoples of the rest of pre-Columbian America; the main agricultural crop of the Olmecs was maize. The main sectors of the economy were agriculture and fishing.

ABOUT The Lmec culture is called the "mother of cultures" of Central America and the earliest civilization of Mexico. They are credited with creating the basis of writing, a calendar, and a system of numbers for later cultures of Mesoamerica. But there is still heated debate around this - not many agree that the Olmecs invented it.

IN In the last century BC, the Olmec civilization completely disappeared, but their heritage organically entered the cultures of the Mayans and other peoples of Mesoamerica.

The first great culture of Central America arose in the swampy jungles of the south. 1250 BC e. people began to build majestic religious centers where there were only miserable villages. Even more surprising are the surviving stone sculptures that adorned these centers.

Olmec is the name of the tribe mentioned in the Aztec historical chronicles.

It is about the Olmecs that we will tell you now.

San Lorenzo, the first ceremonial center, was built on a huge mound 45 m high (like a 15-story building). At this level, the builders created additional earthen mounds grouped around rectangular courtyards.

Huge heads carved from stone were installed in the courtyards; the largest is 3.4 m high and weighs 20 tons.

Since the Olmecs did not know wheeled transport, the stone blocks from which the sculptures were made were delivered on rafts from the mountains located 80 km away. Then they were processed with stone tools, since the Olmecs also did not yet use metals.

Scientists believe that these sculptures could be images of deceased rulers. Some heads are “put on” helmets, very similar to those used by American football players.

This parallel may not be accidental - it is known that the Olmecs invented a ritual game with a ball; subsequently it was adopted by all the civilizations of Central America.

Players were prohibited from touching the ball with their hands and feet, and they acted with their elbows, shins and thighs. Judging by the fact that figurines, jewelry and other items were found both in northern Mexico and in El Salvador and Costa Rica, the Olmecs carried out extensive trade throughout Central America.

In addition to artisans and traders, their society apparently included a wealthy ruling class and peasant farmers, from among whom labor was supplied for the construction of religious centers.

Perhaps the peasants rebelled against overexploitation. San Lorenzo was deliberately destroyed around 900 BC. e., the faces of the sculptures were disfigured, after which they were buried in the ground.

A small female bust, carved from rare blue jade, well illustrates the high skill of Olmec stone carvers.

Their sculptors made figures using only stone tools.

On the left you can see a photo of a female bust found in the territory where the ancient Olmecs lived.

Subsequently, other centers arose, first La Venta, on an island in the middle of the river. Tonals, and then Tres Zapotes, which also fell into disrepair around 200 BC. e.

This time is considered the end of the Olmec civilization.

However, Olmec influence persisted in subsequent cultures. The Toltec and Aztec peoples borrowed from the Olmecs not only the ball game, but also astronomical calendars, architecture using large stone elements, and pictographic writing.

Cult of the Jaguar

Olmec sculptures and reliefs often depict people whose faces were given a resemblance to muzzles - with narrow eyes and a large mouth, slightly open, as if in a snarl.

There are also images of children with a cat's paw imprinted on their foreheads. Scientists called these figures “jaguar people” (meaning werewolves).

The presence of such images indicates the existence of a cult of jaguars, the most powerful and dangerous predators of the Central American jungle.

It is possible that the Olmec aristocracy traced its family back to the mystical ancestor, half-man, half-jaguar, and therefore attributed to itself such inherent qualities of this predator as ferocity and cunning.

In one of the rich burials, the skeletons of a child and two jaguars were discovered, which reinforces the hypothesis that the Olmecs saw a direct connection between a child from a noble family and these animals.

Olmecs in brief

The most important dates in the history of the ancient Olmec civilization. All dates are given with relative accuracy.

Now you know who the Olmecs are and what is remarkable about their ancient civilization. If you liked this article, share it on social networks.