The Olmecs

The Olmecs were an important civilization.  They were the first Pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico. The Olmec civilization existed long before the Aztecs did. It is said that the Olmecs laid the foundation for many of the civilizations that came later. They existed between 1500 BCE and 400 BCE. The Olmecs lived in what is now the Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. The most famous aspect of the Olmecs is the gigantic heads that they left behind.So far 17 gigantic heads have been discovered and no two heads are alike. They also range in size from 3.4 m high to 1.47 m high. The largest head weighs between 25-55 tons. The heads are made from volcanic basalt and that 1500 people were needed to move just one head.

The Olmec are credited with many firsts in mesoamerican culture. They were the originators of the prevalent mesoamerican ballgame that other later cultures use to play. This ballgame was used for recreational and religious purposes. Many believe that this ballgame was similar to volleyball. In addition they are credited with first practicing bloodletting,the invention of zero, and the mesoamerican calendar. Bloodletting was the practice of drawing blood from oneself. It is even believed that the Olmec were the first in the western hemisphere to develop a writing system. The Olmec used a long count calendar which is believed to have predated the Maya. These long count calendars required the use of zero. This long count calendar is one of the earliest uses of zero in history.

It is not exactly known what caused the extinction of the Olmec. All that is really known is that there was a population drop for the Olmec between 400BCE and 350 BCE.

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