Olmec Civilization Overview

Study Notes

Colossal Heads: Carved stone heads believed to represent rulers or elite figures. Discovered mainly at San Lorenzo and La Venta.
La Venta and San Lorenzo Ceremonial Centers: Among the earliest planned ceremonial centers in Mesoamerica. Featured platforms, pyramids, and courtyards for religious and political ceremonies. The Great Pyramid of La Venta is an early pyramidal structure.
Olmec Dragon and Other Deities: Developed a pantheon of gods that influenced Mesoamerican religious practices. The Olmec Dragon, a sky god associated with rulers and power, is one example. The Were-Jaguar, a hybrid figure, is linked to shamanism and fertility.
The Cascajal Block and Early Writing: Stone tablet suggests the Olmecs may have developed an early writing system. Contains 62 symbols resembling hieroglyphic writing.
The Mesoamerican Ball Game: Believed to be the creators of the Mesoamerican ball game, pok-ta-pok (or pok-a-tok). Evidence of ball courts and rubber balls found at Olmec sites, like San Lorenzo. The game had religious and political significance.

Culturally affiliated people who continue speaking their native languages
Still often use the ancient 260-day ritual calendar for religious practices
United by belief systems, cultural practices (architectural style), and a writing system
Left an artistic legacy ranging from sculptures to murals
Created the most advanced Mesoamerican writing system, which is logo-syllabic
Advanced understanding of time, astronomy, and a complex calendrical system
History divided into three periods:
- Pre-Classic (1000 BCE - 250 CE)
- Classic (250 - 900 CE)
  - Divided into Early Classic (250 - 550 CE) and Late Classic (600 - 900 CE)
- Post-Classic (900 - 1521 CE)
Important Maya cities include Tikal, Palenque, and Copán

Maya Calendar Systems (Tzolk'in and Haab'): Developed two calendar systems used for religious practices and tracking time. The Tzolk'in is a 260-day ritual calendar, while the Haab' is a 365-day solar calendar.
Maya Writing System: Used glyphs representing words or syllables. One of the few pre-Hispanic writing systems in Mesoamerica that has been deciphered.
Maya Architectural Style: Known for their ornate and monumental architecture. Built pyramids, temples, palaces, and observatories. Examples include the Great Plaza at Tikal and the Palace at Palenque.
Maya Mathematics: Developed a sophisticated number system based on a vigesimal (base 20) system. Employed a dot to represent one and a bar to represent five. Mayan mathematicians independently developed a concept of zero.
Maya Astronomy: Made significant observations of celestial bodies, including Venus and the Moon. Built observatories to study the stars and planets.
Maya Art: Famous for diverse art forms, encompassing sculptures, murals, pottery, and jade carvings. Examples include the Temple of Inscriptions at Palenque and the murals at Bonampak.