Olmec Civilization Essay

Misra (2017) perpetuates his nationalistic views and provides little literary evidence to support the parallels between Olmec statues and Hindu-Buddhist culture. Firstly, yoga had spread throughout Asia during the decline of the Olmec civilization. Moreover, Buddhism arrived in China long after the collapse of the Olmecs. Secondly, Misra’s association with an earlier dynasty which likely never existed brings further doubt to his claims. The closest representation of the supposed Xia dynasty, the Erlitou, lived in central Asia without access to the sea and were capable of forging bronze, unlike the Olmec. Lastly, archaeologists have found significant evidence of pre-Olmec artifacts indicating a long history of development in the region rather than a sudden appearance that migration would have caused, had it occurred. Altogether, Misra’s claim of Olmec yogis who migrated from China is highly unlikely. Needless to say, it is more likely that the development of the first great Mesoamerican civilization was purely Mesoamerican, and without influence from Asian

A very long time ago, there were many ancient civilizations, three of them were called the Olmecs, Aztecs and Mayans. These were ancient civilizations that, throughout history, had many accomplishments. Focusing in on some of these achievements, a lot of the advancements made by these civilizations were in religion, economy, and technology.

The Olmecs were farmers, traders, artists… innovators. The Olmec culture first emerged in the Isthmus region of Tehuantepec. The site of San Lorenzo, which sits on the Coatzacoalcos River, sheds the most light on this mysterious culture. During this time period, The Initail Formative, food surplus sparked an increase in population and career specialization. With the increase of specialization and sedentism came the environment for complex culture.

The Olmec’s lived along muddy riverbanks and the Gulf of Mexico around 1500 B.C. Rigorous agricultural practices characterized the Olmec civilization, enabling them to provide food and resources for their families and generate income by selling their food to others around them. They also used the land to their advantage, using the mud to create elaborate earthen pyramids. Along with the cultivation of land, trade contributed to the success of the Olmec’s. They had many widespread trade routes extending into the surrounding areas. Their trade routes further helped to expand agriculture and grow the economy within this society due to the selling of agricultural products along these routes. To grow spiritually, the Olmec’s created religious rituals and a system of hieroglyphics that allowed the peoples to communicate effectively while also uniting the Olmec people as a whole. The Olmec’s’ use of their surrounding geography, combined with the economic growth brought about from extended trade routes and the societal unity brought about from the implementation of religious rituals allowed the Olmec’s to thrive during their time.

All the way from the start of civilization through to the Early Christianity there has been a pantheon of; destruction, recognition, wars, cultural diffusion, religious breakthroughs, laws that have been established, kings and queens crowned and dethroned. The Mesopotamian Civilization it was the land between two rivers the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers that civilization first began.

Mesoamerica was once a place filled with expanding, ruthless empires and civilizations, although none was like the Aztecs and their empire. Although they started off with a humble beginning, they quickly grew into a great civilization that dominated present day Central Mexico. They conquered and expanded into an empire stronger than the other neighboring empires. The heart of the Aztec empire, Tenochtitlan, was a grand capital filled with many people and astounding temples. The Aztecs were also ahead of their time with fully-functional government and irrigation systems. They continue to astound many historians with their diverse way of life. They impacted the way of life for many people today with their customs and ways of life. Throughout the years, the Aztecs were able to grow and prosper with their sufficient supply of agriculture and blessed fertile lands of the Mexican Valley, and demonstrated to be an important part of Mexican heritage. The Aztec civilization was truly one of Mesoamerica’s most influential empires because of their history, vibrant culture, and unique architecture.

                The Olmec culture is found through Mexico City. The spread of their religion influenced a lot of what their art that was found. Symbolic traditions, as well as artistic and architectural complexes. Were found Chiapas were the civilizations was formed around 1500 BCE. During this period the first true Mesoamerican writing and language were developed right after the Mayan civilization was formed the Olmec had a huge influence in them. Writing they had a lot of adventures epic poems about the gods that were from religion that were the explanation of the nature they saw, the stars they saw. All the natural situation that happened they wrote it down creating poem influenced by their religion there's different kinds of gods.

civilization in the region at the time. They had developed political, religious, and social systems

Final draft Have you ever wondered what strengthened the Mayan empire and what made it so powerful? The Mayan people were the people who lived under Mayan rule. They lived in Mexico and Central Asia. They were very good at making buildings, trading and writing. The Mayan empire was strengthened skills such as architecture, writing and agriculture.

This lovely tribe called the Olmec located in Eastern South America, is the foundation of the mesoamerican culture. Religion was tremendous aspect in the exhibit. The Olmec believed that their gods provided them with many things like maize and rain, so they worshipped them in many ways. These Native Americans showed their thanks by performing religious rituals and gave offerings as well. Some of these rituals took place in special community buildings such as pyramids or ball courts. Religious rituals lead by Shamanism, could vary from playing a simple ball game to possible human sacrifice. The Olmec were not very complex peoples, although one of their more popular gods is the were-jaguar, a human body crossed with a jaguar

The Olmecs were considered to be great traders, warriors and artists. There is evidence writing systems and calendars they created were perfected by cultures that followed. Much of the Olmec culture has been lost due to the decline in their society two thousand years before the arrival of the first Europeans in the region. Although, anthropologists and archaeologists continue to make strides in understanding this lost culture, by studying the surviving artwork.

the Mother Culture of the Mesoamerica, this is how the Olmec are considered. the name Olmec means “rubber people “in Nahuatl, the Aztec language. Olmec were the first civilization in the America, the time they were arrived is still not know but a guess that is around 1500 B.C. According to, the Olmec civilization see developed within a very limited geographical zone of 18130 square kilometers-about 7000 square miles- (Adams 50), their heartland lies on the golf coast of Mexico within the states of Veracruz and Tabasco, particularly at the sites of San Lorenzo and La Venta. And centering on the volcanic uplift called Los Tuxtlas Mountains. The mountains are primarily composed of extinct cinder cones and larger volcanoes, perhaps the largest caldera of which today contains Lake Catemaco (Adams 50). They were the first inhabitants of America to construct monumental architecture and to settle in town and cities, however, they were also the first people

The ancient world of Mesoamerica entered a long period of change that soon led to the development a mammoth city that would serve as a regional center for more than 600 years. Beginning in about 1000 B.C. the majority of the people in the Valley of Mexico relocated to one of two primary sites, that of Cuicuilco in the southwest corner and Teotihuacan in the northeast. By about 300 B.C., Cuicuilco dominated the region, but its heyday would soon diminish. (Sabloff 2000, p 60)

Massive temples hidden in the jungles of the Yucatan, mysterious stone stelas, and cryptic calendars eluding to advanced knowledge of the stars and mathematics are just some of the artifacts originating from the “Classic Maya” period (200 CE-900 CE). However, these popular items should not be the only defining characteristics of a society that dominated the Mesoamerican region for nearly a millennia. Dynastic lines, similar to those found in European houses, were important elements during this period in places like Palenque, Tikal, and Calakmul. Additionally, the Maya experienced violent and consistent warfare between localized powers and the backbone of their society, agriculture, suffered through several multi-year droughts. These factors

Throughout the three civilizations, various methods of dealing with crops were introduced in attempts of increasing yield and production. The Olmecs developed irrigation, which made agriculture an important element of Mesoamerican life as it brought surpluses that led to population growth and civilization expansion. Alongside irrigation is the extensive planting and harvesting of crops like beans, squash, and especially maize that became the basis and stable crops of the community. The Mayans continued the agricultural success of the preceding people by draining swamps and erecting platforms for farming. These two practices greatly expanded the amount of land agriculture could take place in a geography without vast fertile lands, further leading to population boost and empire building in addition to the long-lasting practice of irrigation. With with the aid of innovations made into reality by the two previous groups of people, the Aztecs kept the tradition of constant improvement to current conditions. Building up on the Mayan efforts of draining swamps, the Aztecs developed Chinampas. These aquatic water beds that acted as floating islands extended the existing use of irrigation on the rich aquatic environment of the capital, Tenochtitlan. With these multiple examples and instances of agricultural advancements that continued and improved on the products and practices of previous civilizations, changes still coexist in the middle as the use of calendar differed from one civilization to the next despite sharing a root of calendar