The Olmec and Toltec Societies of Mesoamerica

The Olmec and Toltec Societies of Mesoamerica

The Olmec society of Mesoamerica is recognized at the first great civilization, the pristine civilization of Mesoamerica. This means that the Olmec society developed on its own, without outside influence of immigration, or cultural exchange. The Olmec’s lived in the gulf coast area of southern Mexico, in the area of what is now called Veracruz and Tabasco, Mexico about 1200 B.C.E. to 300 B.C.E. The name Olmec is also used to describe the culture of the ancient Mexican peoples who inhabited the highland area of Mesoamerica. These states include Oaxaca, Morelos, Guerrero and the Federal District. In these areas we have found ceramic and sculptural designs that are similar to the ceramics and sculptures of the lowland regions of the coastal area. The primary area that is associated with the Olmec civilization is found along the rivers on the coastal plains. These include the cities of San Lorenzo (1300-900 B.C.) and Tres Zapotes (1000-400 B.C.) in the modern day Mexican states of Veracruz. The site of La Venta (1000-600 B.C.) is found in the state of Tabasco. These three sites are considered to be the “ceremonial” sites for the Olmec culture in Mesoamerica.

The Olmec are known for their sculpting techniques and the distinctive decorative motifs that are found on their works. This includes the carvings on the many carved stelae, as well as the many

jade and basalt sculptures that have been found in this area. The Olmec’s are best known for their large carved stone heads made of basalt. The basalt for these sculptures came from an area 50 miles away. The pieces of granite were floated down to the river settlements on rafts. It is thought that these heads represent the heads of Olmec kings. The Olmec’s represented themselves in the basalt heads with varying facial features. Some of the heads appear to have Negroid features, while others appear to depict people with Oriental, or European features.

The...