The first relatively modern awakening to the existance of the Olmecs was when plantation workers in 1862 came upon what they thought was a large, buried, iron kettle. Upon further excavation, and driven by thoughts of buried treasure, they finally excavated a huge stone carved head, which turned out to be the first Olmec sculpture to be discovered in Mexico.

OLMEC ORIGINS.
Who were the Olmecs? What is known about them is that they preceded the Mayans in Meso-America, and are thought to be the foundation of all subsequent cultures in that part of the Americas, although there is some evidence of humans going back to 20,000 B.C. There are always differing opinions when it comes to dates but the Olmes are believed to have originated in Mexico around 1250 B.C., disappearing from record around 400 B.C. A common feature with theirs and earlier civilisations were that they:-
Followed a 365 day year.
Built pyraminds.
Cultivated corn (a staple Olmec food).
All had similar religious rituals and the same Gods of fertility, war, sky & nature.

OLMEC LANDS.
Their range of influence extended from the Tuxtlas mountains in the west, to Contalpa in the eastern Mexican lowlands, around the Gulf of Mexico area. The three largest Olmec cities were:-
La Venta in Tabasco (the eastern sector), dominated the rich coastal estuaries, including the cocao, rubber & salt trade.
San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan in Veracruz was at the center of the Olmec civilization, and an important political/religious center, which controlled the vast flood plains of the Coatzacoalco basin and river trade routes. The first drainage system in Mesoamerica was discovered there, along with 6 colossal basalt carved heard, weighing 20-40 tons each.
Laguna de los Cerros, also in Veracruz, to the West, controlled the important basalt mines/mountains, important for the manufacture of Metates (stones for grinding food), & monuments.

ART & RELIGION.
The Olmecs must have had a high regard for art as many cave paintings & huge stone scullptures have been found, along with jade artefacts & statues. Typical Olmec art featured jaguars, thick-lipped soldiers and goatee-bearded men and often a combination of jaguar and children. As they believed themselves to be descendants of the Jaguar, the animal was held in very high esteem, often featuring in religious ceremonies. Some of these huge carved stone heads have been found up to 100km away from the source of stone, leaving researchers still wondering exactly how they managed to transport such massive pieces those distances., though the most likelyest explanation must be that they floated them on barges down the extensive network of rivers. Bearing in mind the thick-lipped Negroid features of these carvings, some researchers postulate that the Olmecs originally came from Africa, and indeed their language is very similar to that spoken today in Mali. Details of facial scaring & lines on Olmec statues also bear similarities to tribal marks found among the Yoruba peoples of West Africa.

WORK & PLAY.
Rubber was first exloited by the Olmecs and various carvings show ball games where the ball could be deflected off elbows, hips, knees and head, though using the hands was considered an illegal move. Initially, the Olmecs in the swampy tropical heartland lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, later spreading to outlying areas and developing agriculture and distinct political & economic hierarchies as wealth and commerce with outside people grew.

Their religion, symbolic language and archtictural systems seemed strong & popular enough to have lasted through to the Zapotecs, Teotihuacans and Mayan peoples, until everything changed with the Spanish conquests of Hernandez Cortez and Spanish/Portugese influence. That of the Catholic Church was especially instrumental in destroying the old Gods and bringing a new one that eventually spread throughout the whole of South America. Some might argue that Catholicism brought about changes for good and others point out the great poverty of the majority of South Americans.
I will just leave you with this thought:-

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true,
By the wise as false, and by rulers as convenient."

Seneca the Younger. (3 B.C.-65 A.D.)

While researching the origins of chocolate, I came upon the Olmecs, the first recorded peoples to inhabit Eastern Mexico, which interested me to research further.

For more information about The Olmecs, visit:- http://www.handmade-chocs.co.uk

• On Mathematical Proofs,Problems and Impossibility


• Year Round Care for Wild Birds


• The Importance of Fine Arts in the Classroom


• Learning Alternatives: Which Ones for You?


• Never too Old to Learn


• Kids in School? Check Out the School Systems Before You Buy a New Home


• Test Taking Strategies


• 24/7 Learning vs 24/7 Teaching


• Losing the Plot: the Importance of Asking, So what?!


• Open Source Software: An Interview with Richard Wyles of Eduforge