The Americas In Ancient Times - Olmec Culture

THE AMERICAS IN ANCIENT TIMES HIST 1301 | History Olmec Culture At a location known as San Lorenzo in the present-day Mexican state of Veracruz, the Olmec civilization began with the construction of a huge earthen platform that rose 164 feet above the level terrain around 1350 BCE. The Olmec erected a number of monumental carved stone heads, water reservoirs, a network of drains, ceremonial buildings, and other constructions. Due to the crimson ocher paint on the walls and floor of one of the buildings, it has earned the nickname "the red palace." With its numerous aqueducts and massive stone columns, it was probably a home for the upper class. The enormous stone heads and other sculptures, some of which weighed as much as fifty tonnes, were carved from volcanic basalt that was transported by land and maybe by raft for a portion of its journey, from as far away as ninety miles. We can only hypothesise about the Olmec civilization's structure because so little of the San Lorenzo site is now standing, but it is certain that their culture influenced those that came after. The enormous step pyramid-shaped statues and the expansive earthen platform, for instance, bear witness to a highly developed society with a distinct elite that was able to command sizable labour forces. Based on estimates of population density and pottery pieces, researchers have deduced that the majority of workers were likely free labourers pursuing more ambitious objectives. They most likely resided in communities surrounded by gardens and other agricultural zones, where the Olmec farmed maize, avocados, palm nuts, squash, tomatoes, beans, tropical fruits, and cacao for chocolate, well beyond the high centre set aside for the elite. The stone skulls are impressive in and of themselves. Across all Olmec sites, seventeen have been discovered, some of which are eleven feet tall. The majority of them have similar forms and styles, showing men's features with protruding nostrils and big lips, although it's possible that their original purpose was to portray real-life leaders of the places where they were found. They wear a variety of helmet types on their heads, some of which include ear covers. These sculptures probably aimed to highlight the rulers' authority to both the Olmec people and foreigners, considering the labor-intensive process of moving the stone and carving the heads. Some experts believe there is evidence of suspected vandalism on some of the heads, which suggests there was an invasion in the eleventh century BCE that resulted in the destruction of the figures. Others, on the other hand, think this is proof of unfinished remodelling. Although we may never be certain, we do know that San Lorenzo's significance decreased around the ninth century BCE. Concurrently, La Venta, an Olmec site located around fifty miles northeast, gained prominence. Situated fewer than ten miles from the Gulf of Mexico on a steep hill above the Palma River, La Venta was constructed before 1200 BCE. It was the most important Olmec metropolis in the area by 900 BCE. During its peak, La Venta included over 500 acres and could have provided housing for up to 18,000 individuals. Several sizable earthen mounds, plazas, a potential sports stadium, multiple tombs, and a plethora of stone heads and other sculptures comprised its primary monuments. This urban complex's intricacy shows a significant advancement in Mesoamerican architectural and civilizational design. With its temples and other buildings arranged along a north-south axis, it was probably constructed as a holy location with the intention of strengthening the kings' power by relating them to otherworldly settings. Later, the Maya and other Mesoamerican civilizations adapted this type of urban planning. Many deities, including a dragon god, a bird god, a fish god, and other fertility deities including a maize god and water gods, are shown in Olmec art. The Olmec were also able to identify with great clarity a wide variety of otherworldly hybrid creatures, such as the were-jaguar, a human-jaguar hybrid, and a snake with feathers. These beautiful pictures suggest that the Olmec people had an advanced pantheon of gods that ruled the cosmos and required certain rites to be carried out, maybe by the leaders of the Olmec people themselves, who may have served as shamans with the ability to speak with the afterlife. In addition to sacred natural locations like caverns and mountaintops, the rites were carried out in the temples and plazas of holy cities like La Venta and San Lorenzo. Additional rites had to do with a particular kind of ball game that was played on a dedicated court using balls made of the region's plentiful natural rubber. Sports competitions were frequently held to entertain, unite communities, and allow men to display their strength and prowess during times of peace. It's also possible that during periods of increased spiritual need, these competitions would have taken on a deeper significance and been planned to act out stories from the paranormal and maybe establish a connection between humans and the gods. The Olmec believed that drinking blood served as a bridge to the spirit realm, just like several other later societies. Blood sports could have served as a means of elucidating their gods' will. It is evident that the Olmec had communication with neighbouring communities in southern Mexico and Central America. Evidence of a thriving commerce in valuable minerals like as obsidian, magnetite, and shells has been found, probably conducted by traders who traversed the wider area. With time, Olmec concepts of religion, art, architecture, and government were introduced to other Mesoamerican cultures through this commerce. As a result, some academics draw the conclusion that Olmec civilization served as the "mother culture" for later, highly developed Mesoamerican nations. These share cultural practices including calendar systems, deities, and ceremonial ball games. Artefacts in the manner of the Olmecs have also been discovered in locations as far afield as El Salvador and western Mexico. As with many things Olmecrelated, though, we may never know for sure how big of an impact they had. Several new Mesoamerican civilizations were beginning to emerge by the time this one vanished, about 400 BCE. Around 500 BCE, the Zapotec civilization emerged in the lowlands of Oaxaca, western Mexico, building the modern-day Monte Albán, the regional capital. Located on a levelled mountainside with a panoramic view of the surrounding area, Monte Albán most likely had 5,000 residents by 400 BCE, and up to 25,000 by 700 CE. Its stone temples and other constructions expanded with it throughout the years. Throughout the Oaxaca Valley, hundreds of many smaller towns were impacted by the metropolis. Because the area was so well suited for growing maize, more people could live there and build imposing structures. The defensive walls the Zapotec people built around their towns suggest that they lived in a world where fighting was rather prevalent. It is probable that Monte Albán was chosen primarily for defensive purposes. Thirty miles northeast of Mexico City, in Monte Albán, is another significant Mesoamerican civilization whose impact may be seen in the buildings erected there after 300 CE. The vast Teotihuacán metropolis had a significant impact on cultures like as the Zapotec, and controlled commerce in obsidian, salt, cotton, cacao, and marine shells across southern Mexico. The Teotihuacán village dates back to around 400 BCE, although significant construction did not start there for centuries. With a population of around 100,000 by 300, the expanding metropolis was among the biggest in the world at the time. Up until the sixth and seventh century CE, it dominated most of Mesoamerica in terms of both culture and military might. Numerous stone temples and other buildings constructed by the Teotihuacanos are arranged along the Avenue of the Dead, a north-south corridor. The Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon are the names of the greatest temples. Both are 197 and 141 feet tall, respectively, multitiered stone constructions. The complex Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, is part of the expansive royal mansion known as the Citadel, which is also located on the site. Prominent military officials and other individuals resided in expansive residential complexes adorned with vibrant artworks that portrayed priests, deities, or fighters. The surviving people produced both agricultural and commerce items, and they were dispersed throughout the ten thousand square kilometres that encircled the city. Teotihuacán's magnitude indicates its richness and prominence in the region during its heyday. Trade in crafts, agricultural goods, obsidian tools, fabric, pottery, and artwork was the source of this prosperity. Teotihuacán's extensive influence is demonstrated by the numerous conserved frescoes and paintings that depict the city's rulers wearing lavish apparel, including iridescent quetzal bird feathers from as far away as Guatemala. The city used its control over commerce, combined with the use of force and diplomacy, to exert influence over territories that were so far away. The majority of the interactions between the two civilizations are depicted peacefully in the sculptures at Monte Albán, which depict Teotihuacano ambassadors interacting with Zapotec elites. Additionally, evidence from Maya ruins shows that the Teotihuacanos frequently, and even militarily, meddled in Maya matters well into Central America. They could have even planned a coup in 378 at the influential Maya city of Tikal.