Did you know that Mexico is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, as it is home to the Olmecs, who date back to 1200 B. C. ?
The Olmecs influenced Mesoamerican cultures in what is now Mexico and Central America, defining everything from devout practices to urban settlement patterns, architectural styles, and industrial routes.
Artifacts discovered at Olmec sites place the culture as the earliest cradles of civilizations, along with the cultures of Iraq, Egypt, India, China, and Peru.
The Olmec culture, known as the “mother culture,” laid the first foundations that influenced later cultures in Mesoamerica. It gave the impression of the Preclassic Mesoamerican era (2500 BC). A. D. to 200 A. D. ) in what is now southeastern Veracruz and western Tabasco. in the Gulf of Mexico.
As it is not known how this civilization was referred to, the name “Olmec” given by archaeologists was based on the presence of rubber in the spaces where this civilization flourished. It is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word “Olmecatl”, which means “inhabitant of the rubber land”.
The cultural characteristics and artistic taste of the Olmecs extended beyond the Gulf region, stretching from the Mexican states of Morelos to Guerrero and Chiapas to the Pacific coast of Guatemala and Costa Rica. This major influence can be attributed to the extensive industrial network established in this period. .
Art: The Olmecs are known for their colossal basalt heads, which stand between 8 and nine feet tall and weigh between 20 and 40 tons. These unique Olmec monoliths have striking facial features and appear to be dressed in helmets.
Other colossal sculptures include altars, stelae (vertical slabs), and statues.
Sports: As the oldest known culture in the Americas, the Olmecs invented the ball game or pok-ta-pok, a ceremonial team game played throughout Mesoamerican civilizations, with the Maya and Mexica joining in.
Writing and Science: The Olmecs are also credited with creating writing and epigraphy in the Americas, as well as the progression of calendars, which later influenced cultures such as the Maya and Nahua. Scientists also claim that the Olmecs were the first Mesoamerican peoples to perceive the concept of zero.
Religion: The Olmecs practiced the cult of the jaguar, which is practiced in all Mesoamerican cultures.
Urbanism: The Olmecs built what archaeologists consider the first planned city in pre-Hispanic Mexico: La Venta in Tabasco. Beyond its architectural achievements, prominent Olmec heads have been unearthed in the city.
In addition, they are credited with the discovery of the first drainage conduit in America.
La Venta’s monumental earthen architecture, gigantic collection of sculptures, jade artifacts, and giant offerings belong to the pre-Hispanic world.
Other Olmec archaeological sites are San Lorenzo (the oldest Olmec city) and Tres Zapotes (the last Olmec city) in Veracruz.
Despite the intellectual and cultural achievements of the Olmecs, their culture declined dramatically between 400 and 350 B. C. for unknown reasons. However, cultures evolved after the Olmecs, further enriching Mexico’s ancient wealth.
Below is a timeline of the major pre-Columbian civilizations that followed the Olmecs to present-day Mexico.
Zapotec (200 BC – 500 BC)
The Zapotecs, known as Ben Zaa in their language (“the other peoples of the clouds”), are the oldest organization in the Oaxaca region. Its main city is Monte Albán, now one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico.
Maya (350 BC – 1697 AD)
It is one of the most well-known cultures in Mesoamerica. It evolved in a territory of approximately 325,000 km2, encompassing part of Chiapas, Tabasco, the Yucatan Peninsula and part of Central America. They survived until contact with the Spanish, and then their empire emerged. Declined.
One of the New 7 Wonders of the World is the Mayan archaeological site of Chichen Itza.
Teotihuacán (100 BC – 600 AD)
The Teotihuacan culture flourished in the Teotihuacan Valley in central Mexico. Its city, Teotihuacan, is considered one of the most complex cities of the ancient world. This culture is known for the deposits of obsidian, the most valuable commodity of the time in Mesoamerica.
Toltecs (800 A. D. – 1200 A. D. )
Known as the “master builders” of Mesoamerica, the Toltecs took advantage of the decline of Teotihuacan to consolidate their power. Their influence extended the central plateau to what is now Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, Mexico City, the Mexican state of Morelos, and Puebla.
Mexican (1345 – 1521)
After an organization of Mexica (also called Aztecs) left the mythical Aztlán and settled in Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City), the Mexica Empire was established. This civilization is the maxim widely documented in all of Mesoamerica and the largest empire of the time.
The fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521 brought about the fall of all other pre-Columbian civilizations to the Spanish crown. From the ruins emerged the new capital of the colony of New Spain, marking the end of a long line of Mesoamerican civilizations that began with the mother culture of all: the Olmecs.
Gabriela Solís is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. He was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyles and for Mexico News Daily. You can follow his blog about Dunes and Palm Tree lifestyles.
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