Art and Identity in Mexico, from Olmec Times to the Present

The Olmec

The Olmecs are considered the ancient ones for all of Mesoamerica. These people provide the earliest evidence of civilization in Mexico. To think that they existed between the years 1200 BC — 600 AD! Olmecs seem very imaginative people. They are often regarded as the Mother Culture of the later Mesoamerica civilizations. They are by far the most mysterious because their temples, tombs, artifacts and architecture have been found least preserved since they lived in a rainforest area. The humidity and rain did not preserve or keep evidence of their ordinary lives. Yet their famous carved colossal stone heads, pyramid, artifacts and other stone structures did survive. The regions of the Olmec culture are vast and have variety in terrain, from mountains, to rainforest to shore, yet the majority of the centers were located in the lowland, swampy rainforest areas. That is why their artifacts, temples and skeletal remains are scarce and usually found in much deteriorated conditions. Even though some of what archeologists think has only been speculation, nevertheless there has been progress in understanding where they originated, who these people were and what was their culture was like. Recently archeologists and other Mesoamerican specialists have made good progress in understanding what their daily lives were like.

When you are looking at the map of Mexico, look from the Tuxtla Mountains in the west…to the Chontalpa Lowlands in the east: that's where the ancient Olmec were. Olmec monuments have been found everywhere especially in the areas of two Olmec centers called San Lorenzo/ Tenochtitlan and La Venta. In my introduction to the Olmec I will add one more city called Tres Zapotes. These centers conceivably show how civilizations are created as each city/state becomes a key of particular importance to each others economic survival. La Venta, the eastern center, was rich in cacao, rubber, and salt, while San Lorenzo, a more central location, had the river-trading or boat transportation for resources between the centers. Tres Zapotes is a center and is considered one of the last outposts of Olmec culture. This center was developed through the need for its rich basalt, an important source for sculptures, and accordingly, Tres Zapotes is situated at the base of the mountains. Some good questions can be brought out from observing what commerce and exchange can provide and why it is a necessary factor in the evolution of a civilization.

The Tuxtla Mountains are often considered the Epi-Olmec homeland but in fact Tres Zapotes lies at the base of Cerro el Vigia overlooking the Papaloapan lowlands. Of course its realm probably encompassed much of the 4,500-sq.jm (l,740-sp. mile) mountain massif….. Other notable resources include basalt and excellent clay for pottery (Diehl, 181.)

The great Olmec centers that soon developed at La Venta, San Lorenzo, and Tres Zapotes were not just used for religious specialists and their practice; they also became the ruler's residence. They were dynamic centers for trade and entrepreneurship. Artisans and farmers came to sell their goods including: cloth, corn, celts, jaguar pelts, feathers, and the like. As far as religion goes, we know very little. Prayer offerings of celts and figurines have been found in tombs and in rivers giving archeologists the impression that these were their ways in which to call to or thank their gods. One current thought is that these deities were associated with their needs like that of the Maize god or Rain god. Their form of currency was the cocoa bean (which by the way… was considered an excellent drink if you mixed it with chili, honey and water.)

1. The Olmec architecture at La Venta, for example, includes ceremonial buildings, elite residences, dwelling for commoners, a tall pyramid mound and an acropolis. La Venta included a large plaza area and at the entrance 3 colossal sculptures of Olmec heads. Olmec public or ceremonial buildings were most typically made out of earthen platform mounds.
2. The Olmec Heads are particularly important in my first lesson. The Olmec used basalt to make the colossal heads that they are so well known for. The size of these massive heads range from 5 feet to 11 feet tall. Archeologists are still not sure what these heads represented or what they were used for. Some have believed them to represent Olmec leaders, ancestors, ballplayers or warriors. A good amount of time in the Olmec lesson will be spent on these heads because of their ominous size and imposing facial features. This will bring in a chance for students to surmise what the reasons for these were. Another aspect for showing these sculptured busts will be to compare them to other cultures such as the Benin art work from Africa. Despite the lack of earlier sophisticated cultures in Mexico, the Olmec mastered their materials, achieving naturalistic features in the carvings of the heads and similar qualities in most of the smaller stone sculptures are very sensitive for an ancient culture, despite the sheer difficulty of working with these particular materials, especially basalt and jade. They show sophistication in their carvings from large stone works to the small jadeite figurines. This mastery of materials is one way that archeologists determine the complexity of the culture. This material based inquiry will provide an introduction to the comparison-discussion time and provide food for discourse.
3. The Olmec used art to glorify their rulers by making statues depicting them as part creatures especially of jaguars, serpents, and harpy eagles perhaps to invoke powerful qualities that these animals possessed. It would be helpful to have students see that the types of animals found in the Olmec environment, at the top of their food chain, were in fact the ones that the Olmec observed to have the greatest strength. The Olmec tried to emulate them in action like that of crouch/sitting or stance (as a jaguar would on about to pounce) again in clothing of the day, like that of using their skins, or wearing feathers of an eagle. It would be here that students could discuss what they would be in this day and age if skins were still used to show greatness. A brief talk on today's clothing would also be noteworthy and pertinent towards contrasting our modern day culture.

The use of zero, the golden mean, symmetry, geometry and other methods of measurement show that these ancient people were sophisticated in many ways. The colossal heads have been studied for their 8 to 3 measurement a ratio also known as Pi (?.) Their architecture shows a high level of geometric measurement and logic. With the specialization of craft and trade, jobs that require elite information developed due to the Olmec becoming a large civilization. With the expansion of trade, availability of food, and exchange of technology these people began to have more leisure time. As people become more specialized in what their role in their society is… they find some time on their hands for rest and relaxation. The Olmec probably invented the Mesoamerican ball game, and they may also have created the first version of the Parcheesi-like game known as Patolli. With leisure time both positive and negative developments took place, from drama, sports, and beautification on the one hand to gambling, gossip, and corruption on the other. This is a perfect moment to discuss and compare our culture.