The Olmecs are one of the mysterious peoples of antiquity. Legendary civilization

Olmec- an ancient people who lived in Central America in the 16th - 2nd centuries. BC. in the territory of modern Mexico. They created the first civilization in America, which gave rise to all other Indian cultures of the pre-colonial era. For this reason, the Olmec culture is called in Latin America.

The Olmecs invented the first writing in America, the first calendar and method of measuring time, tamed the dog and turkey, and were the first to begin collecting rubber and cocoa beans.

Civilization arose in the east of what is now Mexico. on the Caribbean coast. Evidence of the presence of the Olmecs is found during excavations in Guatemala and El Salvador.

The origins of the Olmecs and the reasons for the decline of their civilization are unclear. In 1979 Clyde Winters proposed a way to read the Olmec letter, based on the hypothesis of the African origin of this people. Winters admitted the idea that the Olmecs spoke the language of the Malinke family, common in Senegal and Mali. By 1997 Winters deciphered a significant part of the Olmec texts. However, many experts do not share the hypothesis about the African origin of the Olmecs.

About three thousand years ago, an Indian culture arose on the shores of the bay, called Olmec. They were named after the Olmecs, a small tribe who lived in this territory much later in the 11th - 14th centuries. The word Olmec itself means rubber people. The Aztecs named them after the area where rubber was produced and where the modern Olmecs lived.

The ancient Olmec civilization dates back to 2 thousand BC. and ceased to exist in the 1st century. AD The most amazing thing is that neither in North America nor in South America are there any traces of the origin of this ancient civilization. It’s as if this people appears already formed. Also unknown is the social organization of the Olmecs, their beliefs, or their language.

Due to the high humidity in the Gulf of Mexico region, not a single Olmec skeleton has survived. It is known that the Olmec culture was a corn civilization, the main branches of the economy were agriculture and fishing. There were rituals of human sacrifice. The ancient Olmec civilization was culturally advanced. Many jade figurines, pyramids, steles, and statues have survived to this day.

The biggest mystery of the remaining Olmec monuments is the huge heads carved from stone. The weight of one head reaches up to 30 tons. The faces look very natural and the most interesting thing is that they depict people with Negroid facial features. These are almost portrait images of Africans in tight-fitting helmets with a chin strap. The earlobes are pierced.

The face is carved with deep wrinkles on both sides of the nose. The corners of the thick lips are curved down. It is these facial features that separate the Olmecs from the Indians of all Mesoamerica. This leads to the conclusion that the Olmecs could not have been an indigenous population. Then the question arises, where could they come from? There is an ancient legend about the origin of the Olmecs. She tells that a mysterious tribe of people arrived by sea and possessed all sorts of magic. Then they settled in a village called Tamoanchane. But one day the sages of the arriving people boarded ships again and sailed away, promising to return before the end of the world.

The remaining people settled the lands surrounding them and began to call themselves by the name of their great leader and magician Olmec Wimtony. Interestingly, the Olmecs identified themselves with the jaguars and considered themselves the descendants of the union of a divine jaguar and a mortal woman. This is how the Olmec tribe appeared, sons of heaven and earth at the same time.

Who are the Olmecs?

At the 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 flourishing of the culture of the Atlantic coast of the current state of Veracruz, called Olmec, begins. The Aztecs named them after the region 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 ancient legend, the Olmecs appeared on the territory of modern Tabasco about 4,000 years ago; they arrived by sea and settled in the village of Tamoanchane. 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.

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.

Olmec culture and art had a strong influence on the culture of other Indian peoples of Central America. Wonderful sculptural monuments have been preserved; Many of them depict a jaguar, the main deity of the Olmecs. The reasons for the Olmec's disappearance have not been established; it is assumed that this is the result of large ethnic movements.

The ancient Olmec people lived about three thousand years ago in the territory of modern Mexico, the states of Veracruz and Tabasco.

They were farmers and developed a fairly high civilization, as well as merchants and exchanged their goods with peoples living in distant lands.

The Olmecs were excellent stone workers. They made painted walls, carved gravestones and stone altars, created axes that they used as offerings to the gods, and sculpted small figurines and masks from clay. Undoubtedly, the Olmec civilization became known thanks to the unusual monumental sculptures that have survived to this day.

The Olmecs were called the corn people because this crop formed the basis of their diet. Their daily meal usually consisted of corn cakes. They also ate beans and pumpkin.

Archaeologists have been able to restore many Olmec household items. The main finds were discovered during excavations in San Lorenzo, La Venta and Tres Zapotes.

Was the jaguar the sacred animal of the Almecs?

The jaguar is a carnivorous mammal common in South and Central America. It does not attack people and feeds on large game, particularly deer.

The Olmecs valued jaguars very much because they ate herbivores that destroyed maize plantations.

The Olmecs had only two domestic animals: the dog and the turkey. Olmec dogs were similar to Chihuahua dogs because they were very small. The Olmecs raised them for food.

The Olmecs were a very creative people. They invented the calendar, a form of writing and a number system, as well as a form of government and religion.

The Olmecs did not use fertilizers and did not know irrigation techniques. Farming was very primitive: they planted fields until they were fertile and then left them to rest, although in reality the Olmecs were lucky to live in a region with many rivers and therefore there was no need to leave fields to rest for long periods of time. When the rivers were high tide, the water flooded the coastal lands and fertilized them, so that the fields produced two or three crops annually. To know when floods occurred and when to sow, the Olmecs invented a means of determining the passage of time, that is, a calendar.

In their study of the passage of time, they reached a year length of 365 days.

The Olmecs were undoubtedly great sculptors. They processed stone with great skill, creating tombstones and altars decorated with human figures.

The most characteristic are the colossal heads, perhaps reproducing the faces of great leaders. These monumental heads were made of basalt, a very hard stone.

Many of these huge heads are preserved in the La Venta Archaeological Park in Mexico.

The Olmecs 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.

San Lorenzo, occupied from 1,200 to 900 BC, is considered the main Olmec settlement. Along with it there were two other centers: Tenochtitlan and Portero Nuevo. All Olmec ceremonial centers were complexes of platforms on which were built ceremonial palaces, mounds, stone statues 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.

Trade 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 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.

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

Sources: www.vokrugsveta.ru, www.tradiciadrevnih.ru, otvet.mail.ru, pochemuha.ru, secretworlds.ru

The Olmecs appeared in the southern Gulf of Mexico 3 thousand years ago. They were a numerous and highly educated people. Where he came from to the fertile lands of Southern Mexico, where his roots were, is unknown. Over time, the mysterious civilization sank into oblivion, and other Indian tribes settled on its lands. The period of their existence dates back to the XI-XIV centuries. It was these people that the Aztecs called Olmecs, which translated meant “people from the land of rubber.” Subsequently, the ancient civilization was called Olmec, although there was nothing in common between the ancient inhabitants and the contemporaries of the Aztecs.

The Olmec civilization disappeared from the face of the earth at the very beginning of our era. And its culture is considered basic in the lands of Central America. In terms of its status, it corresponds to the culture of Ancient Egypt, that is, it is considered the “mother” of other cultures of the American continent.

It may seem strange, but no traces of the origin and evolution of the mysterious civilization have been found. It seems that its representatives appeared on the lands of the Gulf of Mexico out of nowhere, and were already bearers of highly cultural values. In addition, they did not leave any information about themselves. Nothing is known about their social structure, religion, or religious rituals. Their language and ethnicity are also unknown, and not a single human skeleton from that distant era will be found.

Only the ruins of pyramids, the remains of platforms and huge statues have survived to this day. Ancient people cut stone blocks from rocks, and majestic sculptures were carved from them. For the most part, these are heads. They are known as the "Olmec heads" and are one of the main mysteries of the mysterious civilization.

What do the heads represent? These are sculptures whose weight reaches 30 tons. Human features carved from stone are an exact copy of representatives of the Negroid race. That is, this real Africans, whose place is in Africa, not in America. But how could the inhabitants of Africa end up on the American continent 3 thousand years ago?

Olmec stone head discovered by archaeologists

The first stone head was discovered by American archaeologist Matthew Stirling in 1939. In his report, he wrote: “The head is carved from a basalt block. Installed on a foundation of poorly processed stone blocks. Cleared of earth, it has a majestic and even terrifying appearance. It is processed extremely carefully, and the proportions of the face are fully observed, so they look very realistic. It is possible with a high have some confidence in asserting that this type of person is Negro.”

The Stirling expedition made another amazing discovery. Children's toys were found. They depicted dogs mounted on platforms with wheels. This was amazing, since before Columbus there were no wheels in America. However, the findings refuted the established opinion. However, it later turned out that the Mayan civilization also made similar toys on wheels. That is, the Indians knew about the wheel, but for some reason did not use it in economic activities.

In addition to monumental heads, the Olmecs also made steles with images carved on them. Steles were made mainly from basalt. They clearly show images of people belonging to different races. Some of them are Africans, and others are Indians. From this we can conclude that in ancient times there was a well-established connection between America and Africa.

But what kind of connection was this, and how could the inhabitants of Africa end up on the Gulf Coast 3 thousand years ago? Maybe they were the indigenous inhabitants of the New World. It is quite possible that such a migration could have occurred during the Ice Age, and the Negroid race lived on the American continent for a long time, but then, for some unknown reasons, died out.

It is believed that in ancient times there was regular communication across the ocean between America and Africa. This was stated by both Thor Heyerdahl and Tim Severin. By the way, the latter is alive to this day and is actively published. Consequently, Europeans look like dense ignoramuses if they still do not want to agree with obvious facts.

Olmec civilization on the map

As for the Olmec civilization, it lasted about 1000 years and disappeared. It was located on the lands of the modern Mexican state of Veracruz. Countless archaeological treasures are still hidden in its jungles. These are pyramidal temples, tombs, basalt sculptures, elegant figurines made of jade, caves with unique paintings.

At first glance, it may seem that all this was abandoned and forgotten 2 thousand years ago. But that's not true. The ancient culture did not die, but found its continuation in the culture of the Mayans and Aztecs. Nowadays it has been proven that the famous Mayan calendar was borrowed from the Olmec civilization. But first of all, this mysterious ancient people is associated with huge stone heads. Moreover, the heads are not of Indians, but of Africans, which once again indicates that modern people know negligibly little about the distant past.

“The Olmecs are rightfully considered the most ancient and little-studied Indian people of Central America. According to most scientists, they are the ancestors of the following peoples of Mesoamerica. A few finds confirm that the first habitat of the Olmecs was most likely the Gulf Coast. As a single people, they were formed 4-3 thousand years ago. The finds discovered by archaeologists confirm the reality of the existence of this ancient Indian people, but cannot tell about the origin of the Olmecs and their sudden disappearance from the map of Central America.”

The exact reason for the sudden death of the great ancient civilization is still unknown. The most realistic version is the invasion of new tribes from the west and further mixing with the conquerors. Another version is a sharp jump in population growth and the onset of famine, which led to the death of the population. After themselves, the Olmecs left a rich cultural heritage, which was adopted by the following civilizations of Mesoamerica. In their written sources, the Aztecs and Mayans repeatedly mentioned their ancestor. Translated from the Mayan language, Olmec means “inhabitant of the rubber country.” From the Aztec language it is translated as “rubber man”.

About the social system, life and activities of this ancient Indian people Central America there is rather scant information. Most scientists agree that Olmec, settling on the south coast Gulf of Mexico, in a short period of time made a sharp leap in development and by 1500 BC. created on the territory of 3 states of modern Mexico (Veracruz, Tabasco and Guerrero) a state with its capital in La Vente. Other major cities were Tres Zapotes (now a village) and San Lorenzo. All future archaeological finds related to the era Olmec, were found on the territory of these 3 cities. By 800 B.C. it's their peak culture. The end of the great civilization came in 400 BC.

Advantageous location Olmec power on important trade routes contributed to its even greater prosperity. There was a clear class ladder, starting with the high leader and ending with the slave. Each representative of this stepped hierarchy accepted his fate. Therefore, contradictions and clashes between Olmecs didn't happen. The main occupations of the population were farming and fishing, growing corn, cassava pumpkin beans sweet potatoes and peppers. However, the most consumed food product was maize. Beekeeping and breeding of livestock and birds were also developed. The house was guarded by dogs. Already, Olmec Today's children's favorite drink was made from cocoa beans. True, instead of sugar, ground pepper and other spices were added. The drink was especially valuable because of its foam. It is believed that the word “cocoa” itself (“ kakava") is of Olmec origin. Like subsequent civilizations, Olmecs the potter's wheel, wheel and plow farming were not familiar. However, even without these inventions of mankind, they made magnificent products from ceramics and clay, and were excellent stone carvers. Among them were excellent architects and sculptors. Confirmation of the latter is discovered in 1862 by H. Melgar near the village Tres Zapotes(Veracruz state) large sculpture stone head. This accidental discovery gave rise to further study of the great civilization Central America. Beginning in 1930, an archaeological team led by American explorer Matthew Stirling began excavations in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Tabasco and Guerrero. Local Indians joined them as workers. Excavations continued until the early 1960s. Today there are 16 more copies of these miracles of Olmec art: 10 of them in San Lorenzo, 4 in La Venta, 2 in Tres Zapotes and one from Cobata Ranch. All stone heads are engraved from large pieces of basalt. The faces and headdress of each specimen are different from each other. Eyes near the head Rancho Kobata are closed, the rest are open. The smallest find is 1.5 m high, and the largest is more than 3 meters. Depending on the size of the sculptures, the weight varies from 10 to 35 tons. All stone heads have faces African features, which led some scientists to hypothesize that those who moved to New World blacks. However, this assumption had no evidence and quickly disappeared. The exact age of the finds is also not determined, but it is certain that each head was engraved and brought to the place of public display in a separate period of time. A mystery there remains a way by which Olmec transported multi-ton sculptures. After all, these Indian people were not familiar with the wheel. Some scientists believe that huge chunks of basalt were mined from the mountain range Las Tuxtlas, were loaded onto carts, delivered to the river, and from there on large rafts they were sent to their destination. The rest of the work was left to the stone carvers. Discovered in 1967 in San Lorenzo, underground U-shaped basalt pipes, from which water was still flowing, allowed Matthew Stirling's expedition to make a unique opening. Even then, 3 thousand years ago Olmec masters The first water supply system was created.

Another miracle Olmec art are steles - vertically installed basalt slabs depicting a certain scene and characters. Most of them were found in La Vente And Tres Zapotes. The personalities depicted on the plates are richly dressed. Most likely, these were representatives of the highest stratum of the Olmecs. Some steles are located at a great distance, others in groups at the foot pyramids. Pyramids have been discovered in every city, but the most interesting is the large pyramid in the center of La Venta. This structure, about 33 meters high, is built of clay and covered with lime mortar on top. From a distance it resembles a small volcano. At the top there was a platform where there most likely was a sacrificial temple. For the nobility, a mosaic courtyard was made with the image of a sacred animal - jaguar. Among the smaller finds, various figurines, masks, beads and necklaces, made mainly of jadeite, stand out. A symbol of nobility Olmec, and then among other civilizations of Central America, jade appeared. Jewelry made from this mineral was placed in the tombs of leaders and his relatives.

About religious ideas Olmec there is very little information available. What is certain is that they were the first Indian people to worship the jaguar. Almost all deities were depicted with the head of this predator. The image of this representative of felines is found on some steles. Olmec considered themselves the fruit of the love of a mortal woman and jaguar. This predator was for them a symbol of masculinity and strength. The jaguar was revered as the patron of agriculture and protector of the entire territory of their state. Sacrifice rituals were performed by shamans who also had healing abilities. According to the population, the true priests could transform into a jaguar.

About language and writing, as well as about ethnic origin Olmec, even less is known. Found in the 40s. 20th century slabs with signs reminiscent of the hieroglyphs of the ancient Egyptians prove the presence of writing among this Indian people. It is believed that Mayan could use some elements to create their own writing. Some signs resemble insects and plants in their shape. As a material for application hieroglyphs the most commonly used were wood and stone, with the latter being used mainly during ceremonial occasions. The decipherment of writing continues to this day. Important dates were indicated by dashes and dots. Unfortunately, no information about the language has been preserved Olmec. What is known is that it was significantly different from the communication styles of other Indian peoples of both American continents. American linguist Terrence Kaufman, who studies Mesoamerican Indian dialects, suggested in 1993 that Olmec spoke a language close to the Mihe-Sok group. However, this hypothesis did not meet with supporters and the question of the origin of their language continues to remain open.

Indian shamans had extensive knowledge of mathematics and astronomy. Carrying out numerous calculations, Olmec priests invented another masterpiece - the famous lunar calendar, which served as the basis for the Mayan calendar. It was built based on data from shamans about the cyclical nature of the universe. Each era lasted 5,000 years, and then a new era began. Particular attention was paid to the study of the moon and the location stars.

Thus found in Tres Zapotes, La Venta, San Lorenzo archaeological finds confirm greatness Olmec civilization, as the most ancient people of Central America. Their rich heritage (calendar, writing, rituals and customs) was taken advantage of by their successors in the person of the Mayans and Aztecs. Despite the discovered exhibits, the Olmecs continue to be a mystery civilization and some sections still require careful study by scientists. The main problem is the decipherment of writing, which can provide answers to many questions, primarily about their ethnic origin and secrets their sudden disappearance.

Decline of the Olmecs

The exact cause of the decline of the Olmec civilization is not clear. Perhaps this was due to military defeat, cultural exhaustion, or perhaps due to environmental disaster. However, the evidence points more to a violent end. It is known that the Olmec culture and their technology were borrowed by peoples in Mesoamerica and South America. The most famous Olmec technology that others adopted was the construction of buildings and structures, especially the pyramids. Pyramids were built by all later major American Indian American civilizations (southern USA). Ceramics and metallurgy are also important contributions of the Olmecs to the development of the peoples of America.

Three thousand years ago, an Indian empire known as the Olmec civilization arose on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. The name itself is “Olmec””, which is translated from the Aztec language as “rubber people,” was given to the ancient people in honor of a small area located in the same place, on the Gulf Coast, where rubber was produced. The Olmec civilization developed scientific knowledge over several centuries, inventing the Olmec calendar, having formed their own ideas about mathematics and astronomy, and leaving their descendants a rich mythological and cultural heritage, unfortunately, practically unpreserved. The Olmec religion is also considered the crown of civilization, which, centuries before the formation of the Mayan and Aztec cultures, managed to move from the worship of totem animals to the veneration of gods who are the embodiments of the forces of nature. It is a known fact thatOlmec godsbecame the first humanoid deities in the history of the American continent.

Olmec calendar and other lost knowledge of the ancient state.

The ancient Olmec civilization, dating back to the second millennium BC, disappeared approximately 50-100 AD, which is one and a half thousand years before the Spaniards arrived off the coast of America. During the short period of their existence, the Indians managed to develop science to unprecedented heights, ultimately inventing the Olmec calendar, their own complex calendar system based on astronomical knowledge.

As you might guess, the Olmec civilization is the oldest people in Central, South and North America. It is not for nothing that the Olmec Indians, who created the Olmec calendar, are considered the forefathers of all the peoples of Central America, and the Olmec culture is the founder of fashions and orders, which were followed and imitated by all Indian tribes without exception. Speaking of the orders and calendar system of the ancient people. Olmec calendar, in fact, is the predecessor of the famous Mayan calendar. It was also built on the cyclical nature of the universe, containing epochs of a long count lasting approximately 5 thousand years, knowledge about the duration of the earth's day, year, and the cycles of the moon and Venus. The Olmec calendar is the first chronicle system that was able to interpret astronomical phenomena to suit its needs. The Olmecs, the long count calendar created by them, is a unique and inimitable phenomenon not only for American, but also for world history.

Olmec religion - mythological knowledge of the ancient people.

But what about the inhabitants of the ancient empire, what else were they remembered for besides their scientific knowledge? The Olmec culture and religion also has another calling card, namely the giant stone heads depicting Africans. These structures suggest who the Olmecs were, how they lived, and what beliefs they held.

Sculptures of incredible size, weighing about 30 tons each, depict the heads of people with Negroid facial features. The Olmec religion created almost portrait images of the inhabitants of Africa. The earlobes are pierced, the faces are cut with deep wrinkles. The corners of the thick lips, which are not typical for Indians, are curved down.

The first stone head was discovered in 1930 by American archaeologist Matthew Stirling. In his report, the scientist wrote: “ Mexico, Olmecs, their art is amazing. The head is carved from a stone monolith, presumably basalt. The sculpture rested on a platform made of unprocessed stone layers. Freed from dirt, sand and the shackles of the earth, the head has a rather frightening appearance. Despite its size, the sculpture is delicately crafted, its proportions are ideal, and its facial features are carefully drawn. The unique feature of the head that distinguishes it from other Indian sculptures is realism.”

Scientists are almost completely confident in the timing of the production of the heads, approximately 1000-1500 BC, which coincides with the heyday of the Olmec state. The dates were determined using pieces of coal found on and near the heads, but this is only the age of the coals themselves. It is possible that stone heads were created much earlier. Experts boldly assume the religious affiliation of the majestic sculptures. “The stone heads are the faces of the ancient gods who were born Olmec religion”- say the researchers. It is believed that in this way the Olmec Indians perpetuated the memory of their idols and themselves as great masters.

The Olmecs are the invisible heritage of an ancient people.

Surprisingly, the Olmecs left behind virtually no written or any other material evidence confirming the high development of this civilization. Scientists have been scouring for years in search of the heritage and signs of the evolution of this ancient people. But it's all to no avail. Literally dismantling all the habitats of the Olmecs stone by stone, archaeologists got the impression that this people appeared out of nowhere, as if they were already completely established. The reason for this may be the lightning-fast decline of the empire, as happened with the Mayans, or perhaps the humid climate of the Gulf of Mexico. Who knows?!

The Olmecs are a structural civilization. However, science has no facts at its disposal to confirm this theory, only the guesses of specialists. We know practically nothing about the social organization of the Olmecs, nor about their religion, nor about the mythology, nor about the rituals of this disappeared people. What is known is that the Olmecs, like the later Mayan and Aztec peoples, intensively practiced sacrifices.

The researchers' guesses and the few grains of information that were nevertheless discovered indicate that the Olmecs were the same agricultural civilizations as the “corn people”, like all the later cultures of Mesoamerica. The fundamental spheres of life that allowed the Olmecs to prosper were agriculture and fishing.

It remains a mystery what language they spoke. , or what ethnic group they belonged to. There are hypotheses about the Olmec Indians belonging to the Mayan language group, but again, these are just hypotheses. Time and history have been merciless to the Olmec heritage. The Spanish conquest, during which Indian property was mercilessly destroyed, did not have the best effect on the overall picture.

What pleases is the architecture of the ancient people. The Olmecs built strong and durable structures. Yes, albeit in small quantities and far from in their original form, their structures have still survived to this day. Platforms, statues and ruins that were once pyramids and palace complexes indicate that the Olmecs were excellent engineers and architects for their time. The Indians knocked stone blocks out of the rocks and carved massive sculptures from them.

The Olmecs ceased to exist at the beginning of our era. However, even from the few data that have reached us 2 thousand years later, we can judge that the Olmec culture, the lunar calendar, did not disappear, but were organically absorbed and adopted by the Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

- Olmec.

Olmec architecture.

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.