1. Olmec Civilization 11-2
Essential Question: Identify some reasons why the Olmec culture had such a long lasting influence in Mesoamerica

2. Olmec Civilization

3. Olmec Civilization 3,000 years ago lived along the Gulf Coast
Settled near rivers for farming
Areas of little rain, rivers flooded when it did rain
Alluvial soil: soil that was deposited from flood waters, very fertile
Population grew with the steady farming
Steady food supply = new job focus
Potters, weavers, priests, teachers

4. Alluvial soil

5. Olmec Cities 1150 B.C. San Lorenzo: major trade and religious center
raised mounds in the center of the city for religious ceremonies
Plazas used for trade centers
Housing for priests and nobles
900 B.C. La Venta replaced San Lorenzo as the major religious and trade centers

6. Olmec Cities

7. Olmec Culture Daily life: farmers or fishers
Houses built of earthen mounds, holding several dwellings
Main task is to provide food for all in the village
Fish, turtle, maize, beans, peppers
City dwellers were the elite: upper class
Priests and nobels
Wore jewelry and fancy clothes
Some commoners laborers, craftsworkers
Plain clothes

8. Pok-a-tok Ball game played by elite of the village
Players thought of as heroes
Some games were played to please the Gods with human scarafice of the losing team
Must hit a 5lb hard rubber ball through a hoop 20 feet off the ground
May only us hips, wrists, elbows, chest or waist
Played throughout Mesoamerica

9. Pok-a-tok

10. Art Huge flat faced heads made of basalt
Transported from quarries more then 50 miles away
Each head stands about 6-10 feet tall weighs as much as 20 tons
Found in La Venta and San Lorenzo
It is not known how the huge rocks were move or what the heads represent
No wheel or pack animals
Some feel the heads represent the player of pok-a-tok

12. Art Used glyphs to record events, dates and tell stories
Smaller sculptures made of jade, pottery and cave paintings
Used glyphs to record events, dates and tell stories
Developed an accurate calendar

13. religion Chief god was the jaguar Believed to bring rain
Worshipped many gods
Chief god was the jaguar
Believed to bring rain
Fire god and corn god

14. Olmec Legacy Most cities were a center of trade
Mainly luxury items for the elite
Knowledge and ideas were exchanged
Olmec culture was spread along the trade routes

15. Olmec Legacy
500 B.C. Olmec’s abandond their cities for unknown reasons 400B.C Olmec civilization had mostly disappeared Huge impact on Mesoamerica Considered to the Mother Culture: a way of life that strongly influences later cultures