Ancient Olmec art Report by: Eric Moran

What was their art? They’re most known for their giant heads carved from basalt rock. Most experts believe that that each head was a different Olmec ruler. They also have stone figurines in a carved opening inside a rulers throne. They also had paintings of their gods. Such as the jaguar god that brought the rain. The last things they had were tiny masks and jade statues.

Olmec Head

What was the art for? The Olmec heads were so they would honor and remember their kings. The tiny masks and jade statues were used as offerings to their gods by burying them. The paintings of their gods were used to honor and remember them. The stone figurines inside a rulers throne were used to represent the ruler returning from a trip to the otherworld.

A Olmec mask

How did they make the Art? They made their art using the materials they could get. They made drills out of the bones of animals to cut the hard basalt rock, and jade into shapes.

Grumpy Olmec statue

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