Olmec Research Paper

910 Words4 Pages
The Olmec people are a mysterious people originating in Mesoamerica. The word Olmec means rubber people in the Aztec language. The Olmec civilization prospered from 1200 BC to 400 BC. They are thought to be the first Mesoamerican civilization which predated the Mayans and the Aztecs. The Olmec civilization is a mysterious one and had a rich culture, unique beliefs, and a variety of artwork. The Olmec civilization resided in present-day Mexico. They are one of the first civilizations that used a written language. Much of their success was aided by the land they lived on because it was fertile and well-watered. Their land and water also fed them because they ate seafood, vegetables, and fruit. Olmec people were not really known for hunting but did gather food. The Olmec also traded with neighboring…show more content…
The Olmec had a variety of art that they created. An example is the stone mask. One of the masks is made from a polished green stone and depicts a face that has piercings and is scarred. This is one of the many mysterious masks that they made. Another piece of artwork the Olmec created was the caves. They used to carve on the walls and paint on the walls. Some of the artworks showed different rulers and gods and also some of their rituals. Some of the materials used for their art were jade, ceramic, and wood. A popular jade carving was the Kunz Axe. This particular carving is now in the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Some other jade carvings they made were modeled after the were-jaguar, which is half man and half jaguar, and regular animals. It was also a common practice for them to bury the artworks. The Olmec also built monuments and buildings. They built some pyramids but not many. Temples were also built to house some ceremonies and rituals but they preferred to have those outside since they believed nature was very
Show More
Related

  • Olmec Culture Research Paper

    1585 Words  | 7 Pages

    The religious traditions of Olmec and modern practice of Judaism are similar in some ways and different in others.  They are both religions within a system, but at a completely different scales and with different ideals. The Olmec culture have vanished over 2,000 years ago, while Judaism is still practiced by millions today.  Therefore, the understanding of Judaism is much more elaborate compared to what we know about the traditional Olmec culture and religion. The Judaism way of life is to obey

    Read More

  • Did Civilization Exist In The Pre-Columbian Period?

    1426 Words  | 6 Pages

    most certainly believe that civilization did exist in Pre-Columbian Period according to the movie Apocalypto and other references but, what civilizations did exist and how can we know they had the characteristics to be considered civilized? This research paper will seek to establish the notion that civilization did exist and draw a connected with

    Read More

  • Mayan Disappearance

    2207 Words  | 9 Pages

    Mayan Disappearance The fall of the Maya is one of history's extraordinary puzzles. One of the mightiest civic establishments in the old Americas essentially fell into ruin in a brief time. Powerful urban communities like Tikal were surrendered and Maya stonemasons quit making sanctuaries and stelae. The dates are not in uncertainty: deciphered glyphs at a few locales demonstrate a flourishing society in the ninth century A.d., yet the record goes shockingly noiseless after the keep going recorded

    Read More

More about Olmec Research Paper

Open Document