We explain everything about Olmeca culture and how is its writing and religion. In addition, what are its characteristics, economy and more.
What is Olmeca culture?
Olmeca culture is considered the “mother” of Mesoamerican cultures which originated in the territory of the current Mexico.
The Olmecs inhabited the coastal area of the Gulf of Mexico between 1500 a. C. and 400 a. C.
Olmeca culture is considered Inaugurated an artistic and architectural stylewhich continued to influence the subsequent cultures of the region, even after its decline as civilization.
The term “Olmeca” is used to designate both Olmeca civilization and its artistic style, which was used by subsequent cultures of the entire Central American region.
The flowering of the Olmeca culture It is located around 800 a. C.and normally classified into two stages of prosperity: Olmeca I Stage (1500-1200 BC) and Olmeca II Stage (1200-400 BC).
See also: Toltec culture
What does “Olmeca” mean?
It is not known how the Olmecs called themselvessince its writing system has not yet been deciphered nor there are other contemporary sources that allow us to know.
“Olmeca” is the name that archaeologists and historians use to refer to this civilization. The word “Olmeca” literally means “inhabitant of the rubber region” and belongs to the Aztec language. It is a word used by the Mexicans, several centuries later, to designate all the inhabitants of the Veracruz and Tabasco region.
In addition, the term “Olmeca” is Used by specialists to refer to the Nahuatl Olmeca-Ixicalanca peoplethat inhabited the region towards the seventh century AD. C. Although some historians estimate that the origin of this town can be traced to the old Olmeca culture, these terms should not be confused.
Geographic and temporal location of the Olmecs
The rise of Olmeca civilization was given During the medium preclassic period, between 1200 a. C. and 400 a. C.although some archaeological findings indicate that the development of this culture can be earlier.
The Olmecs They were established in the southeast region of the Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabascobut its influence can be traced throughout Mesoamerica. There is evidence that they were related to peoples of Chiapas, the central valleys of Oaxaca and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. It is also possible to find vestiges of Olmeca culture in the current territories Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras. It is believed that this wide influence was the product of the development of commercial networks throughout the region.
Its main ceremonial centers were San Lorenzo (1150 BC), the sale (1750 BC) and three zapotes (900 BC).
Olmeca Language and writing
From the finding of the Cascajal block (a stone table with a text of more than 62 glyphs), it is believed that the Olmecs They would have invented the first writing system in Americaprior to the Mayan and Zapoteca writing.
Olmeca writing has not yet been deciphered since archaeologists do not have enough texts to understand the meaning of glyphs. Some specialists believe that it is a syllabic system (each element represents a syllable) and others argue that it was an ideographic system (each glyph represents a word or an idea). However, there is common agreement that reading would have been horizontally and not vertical.
In addition, the Olmecs They created calendars based on the movements of the sun and the moonwhich then used other coming cultures.
Olmeca religion and culture
Olmeca culture was religious and theocratic. That means that his social and political organization was crossed by his religious ideas.
His worldview was reflected in a specific image: a mythical being that has a head -shaped cleft in the headfrom which a corn plant, symbol of real power and the cosmic tree that communicates the sky with the underworld is born. According to the Olmecs, the earth was a plane with four extreme points and one in the center, which was the axis of the world.
Through art, many of their religious ideas and beliefs expressed. They built numerous monumental sculptures. The best known are the 17 basalt heads that were found in their vicinity. These are colossal heads covered by helmets, all with features that differentiate them from each other. Archaeologists consider that given the peculiarity of their faces, the heads are portraits of the different rulers.
Religion was polytheistic and its deities represented elements of nature such as cornstars, volcanoes, etc. The Olmecs considered that certain animals were sacred, such as crocodile, shark and snake; and the jaguar, to which a special cult was given.
In addition, they created images in which deities took fantastic forms that mixed human and animals bodies. The specialists affirm that religion was dynastic: the Olmecs They considered that their rulers were direct heirs of the gods. The sculptural representations reaffirm the position and luxury of the elite. In many images, the rulers appear with supernatural beings, which gives them a semiidivine character.
Social organization of the Olmecs
Given the shortage of Fuentes, the detail of the social organization of the Olmecs is ignored. However, through monuments and ceremonial sites, historians consider that They would have been a theocratic society, governed by a caste of priestswith an elite of warrior families and a large peasant population.
Olmeca economy
The economy of the Olmecs would have been eminently agriculturalwith a great commercial exchange with neighboring peoples. Its main productions were corn, some vegetables and cocoa. In addition, it is believed that they dedicated themselves to beekeeping, in hunting and the collection of wild fruits.
Olmeca dress
Since the olmecs cultivated cotton, It is thought that they wore light clothesconducive to the hot and humid climate of the region they inhabited. However, little is known about it.
In the statuettes that were found, the dress of the human figures shows geometric patterns (in loincloths, layers and tattoos) and body accessories, among which the leather, gold and jade seemed to be. Many portions of the body were naked.
Contributions of Olmeca culture
There are numerous olmec cultural features that were taken by other Mesoamerican civilizations. Among them, we can find:
- The cult of jaguar (as a complex symbol linked to the depth of the earth), to the night and fire (as a sign of movement and destruction).
- The invention of writing, as an ideographic system that combined glyphs and figurative representations.
- The ceremonial centers built with an architectural organized plan and as receptors of religious offerings and taxes.
- The representations of power in artistic images, which differentiated through perspective the importance of the sovereign.
- The creation of the 260 -day calendar.
Decadence of the Olmecs
The reasons for the fall of the Olmeca culture are not known with certainty. Archaeologists consider that Towards 400 a. C., the cultural unit that was recognized as “Olmeca” ceased to exist. The Tres Zapotes settlement, founded by Los Olmecas, continued to be inhabited by other peoples that are considered from the same linguistic family of the Olmecs, the Mixe, although it was a different cultural identity.
Continue with: Zapoteca culture
References
- López Austin, Alfredo; and López Luján, Leonardo (2001): The indigenous past. Mexico City: The College of Mexico.
- Duverger, Christian (1999): Mesoamerica, Art and Anthropology. Country: Conaculta-Landucci editors.
- Adams, Richard (1977): Prehistoric Mesoamerica. Boston: University of Oklahoma Press.
