The Olmec Civilization

     When visiting Olmec ruins you can expect to see quite a few different things. One thing you will see is the beautiful surrounding areas. A combination of scenic desert mountains and beautiful clouds create a synergistic effect that boosts the beauty of the Olmec Ruins. You can also see ancient pyramids built by the Olmec people that only add to the intrigue of the area.
     The beginning of the Olmec civilization was traced to the area of the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan city. The civilization’s rise in this area was influenced by the alluvial soil, which was watered well, plus by the fact that the Coatzacoalcos river allowed for easy transportation in the area. You can easily compare these conditions with others, that allowed the formation of civilizations in the Indus, Nile, Mesopotamia and Yellow River areas. With an area so productive, the civilization expanded quickly. While the fall of the Olmec Civilization is not exactly known, there are several theories as to why they disappeared. It likely was a combination of natural ecological changes and human actions. The Olmecs relied on a handful of crops for their basic sustenance, including maize, squash and sweet potatoes. Although they had a healthy diet with this limited number of foods, the fact that they relied so heavily on them made them vulnerable to climate changes. A severe drought could have had a huge effect on the crops of the Olmec people.
     The Olmecs had several contributions. They were the firs civilization in the Western Hemisphere to create a writing system. They developed the long count calendar, which was later used by the Mayans. They were one of the first civilizaitons to use the concept of zero. They also developed a ball game used by other cultures of the region later on.
     The government of the Olmecs is very primitive. Families with the best land became wealthy and ruled over the other people. This formed a class and this class with a group of rulers and priests ruled over all. In the early time period of the Olmec Empire kings and priests were viewed as the same. Later, they were fused into one ruler, a priest-king. It was believed that a priest-king had divine powers and they justified their rule with divine right. The social elite lived in teh great cities and the farmers in the surrounding outer areas. The farmers provided labor for ceremonial center, food, and goods for the elite class.
     The economy of the Olmecs was based and centered around trading. the Olmecs had three major cities in San Lorenzo, La Venta, and Tres Zapotes. All of these cities were located in different areas with different natural resources that each city needed. The three cities traded within eachother to get the different foods and goods they needed and desired.
     The Olmec people were polytheistic. The names of the different gods are not known but they are known to represent phenomena in in nature like rain and especially maize. Religious activities were performed by rulers, full-time priests, and shamans. The priest-king is the most important religious figure in the Olmec Empire because of divine rule. The Olmecs often associated the top predators with divine beings.
     Much of the Olmec art is made of jade, clay, basalt, and other rocks and minerals. Much of the Olmec art expresses anthropomorphic creatures that are highly stylized and reflect religious meaning. Some common patterns in Olmec art are a down turned mouth and a cleft head. The most recognized aspect of Olmec art and their civilization are the colossal helmeted heads. All of the heads are not explained as to why they were sculpted. They can range in size from small to very large. They are made of boulders of volcanic basalt.