The Olmecs were the earliest major Mesoamerican civilization, developing in the tropical lowlands of modern-day Mexican states, Veracruz and Tabasco. Originating around 1500 BCE, they potentially had influences from the Mokaya or Mixe–Zoque cultures. Flourishing from 1500 BCE to about 400 BCE, the Olmecs were the first Mesoamerican civilization, notably practicing ritual bloodletting and playing the Mesoamerican ballgame. Centered around the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán site, they laid foundations for subsequent civilizations. Renowned for their colossal heads, Olmec artworks, defined through artifacts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, are considered striking in ancient American art.
Getting Up Close and Personal With a Non-gentle Giant
I look up into the mouth of jagged teeth and try to imagine seeing a living T. rex towering over me. It’s a terrifying…