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Early Americas
Early American
Geography
The word OLMEC is derived from the Nahuatl--the language spoken by early Aztecs--meaning either
Dwellers of the Rubber Land or Mouth of the Jaguar.
http://www.crystalinks.com/olmec.html
Olmec 1500 – 400 B.C.
Olmec Stone Heads• Portraits of individual
Olmec rulers• When a ruler died,
his throne was converted into the head
• 6 ft tall & 5 ft across• Symbol on each
head for the ruler• The basalt was
quarried miles from where the heads were found
Olmec City Centers• Architecture –
pyramid mounds• Public ceremonial
buildings, elite & common housing
• Religious sites• Stone drains –
aqueducts (provided drinking water)
• Aqueducts were also monuments
Olmec Religion• At least ten gods
(polytheistic)• Altars were thrones of
Olmec rulers• Religious creed read by
the sages (wise person)
• Shamanism (similar to animism)
Olmec Writing• Hieroglyphic & Syllabic
systems of writing• Syllabic system of
writing had 13 consonants
• Similar to Manding (west african)
Why is Olmec writing so similar to Manding?
Olmec Calendar• Used mathematics
(including the concept of zero) and astronomy
• Two cyclical calendars (365-day solar & 260-day) created a 52 year cycle called the Calendar Round
• Long Count calendar used a starting date as August 13, 3114 B.C.
How advanced were the Olmec?
(and in what areas)