Olmec civilization
E29522
The Olmec civilization was an early Mesoamerican culture, flourishing around 1500–400 BCE, renowned for its colossal stone heads, complex religious iconography, and foundational influence on later civilizations like the Maya and Aztec.
Aliases (3)
- Olmec ×2
- Olmec (historical) ×1
- Olmecs ×1
Statements (56)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Mesoamerican civilization
→
ancient civilization → archaeological culture → |
| alsoKnownAs |
Olmecs
→
|
| archaeologicalCultureDefined |
20th century
→
|
| artStyle |
baby-face figurines
→
naturalistic human figures → were-jaguar motifs → |
| chronologicalPhase |
Early Formative
→
Late Formative → Middle Formative → |
| colossalHeadsMaterial |
basalt
→
|
| continent |
North America
→
|
| coreArea |
Gulf Coast of Mexico
→
southern Veracruz → western Tabasco → |
| countryToday |
Mexico
→
|
| culturalLegacy |
foundational to later Mesoamerican iconography
→
possible origin of Mesoamerican ballgame traditions → |
| economy |
fishing and hunting
→
long-distance trade → maize agriculture → |
| endTime |
circa 400 BCE
→
|
| influenced |
Aztec civilization
→
Epi-Olmec culture → Maya civilization → Zapotec civilization → |
| knownFor |
colossal stone heads
→
complex religious iconography → early Mesoamerican writing experiments → early use of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar precursors → monumental stone sculpture → |
| languageFamilyHypothesis |
Mixe–Zoquean languages
→
|
| majorSite |
La Venta
→
Laguna de los Cerros → San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán → Tres Zapotes → |
| name |
Olmec civilization
→
|
| numberOfKnownColossalHeadsApprox |
17
→
|
| period |
Formative period of Mesoamerica
→
|
| politicalOrganization |
chiefdoms
→
early complex society → |
| region |
Mesoamerica
→
|
| religion |
polytheism
→
|
| religiousMotif |
jaguar deity
→
maize deity → rain and fertility deities → |
| startTime |
circa 1500 BCE
→
|
| technology |
drainage systems
→
earthen platform construction → stone carving → |
| tradedGood |
ceramics
→
hematite → jade → obsidian → |
| writingSystemStatus |
disputed early writing
→
|
Referenced by (15)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Maya civilization
→
Mesoamerica → Zapotec civilization → |
influencedBy |
|
Olmec civilization
("Olmecs")
→
|
alsoKnownAs |
|
Great Pyramid of Cholula
("Olmec")
→
|
associatedCulture |
|
La Venta
→
|
associatedWith |
|
San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán
→
|
associatedWithCulture |
|
La Venta
→
|
culture |
|
Gulf Coast Hall
("Olmec")
→
|
focusesOnCivilization |
|
Americas
→
|
hasIndigenousCivilization |
|
Veracruz
("Olmec (historical)")
→
|
hasIndigenousPeople |
|
indigenous peoples of Mexico
→
|
historicalCivilization |
|
Pre-Columbian era
→
|
includesCivilization |
|
Mesoamerica
→
|
knownFor |
|
Olmec civilization
→
|
name |