The great “People of the Rubber Country”. That is what the Aztec people of central Mexico called the Olmec as the Spanish Conquistadors disembarked on the shores of Central America. Though they preceded the Aztecs by well over a millennia, the Olmec were held in high regard with much of their culture adopted by the Aztecs. The Aztecs remembered them well but made the jump to today and the Olmec are a culture of which people know very little. They are barely mentioned in history books (at least American ones) and receive very little attention when discussing the overall history of Central America. Yet, they played an integral part in its formation. These people had a fascinating civilization complete with its own religion, political structures, and its fair share of colossal monuments. It’s a shame we pay so little attention to this fascinating civilization. To break that trend, here is my attempt to drum up a little interest in the Mother Culture of Mesoamerica.
1. The Olmec are older than Alexander the Great.
The Olmec culture is the oldest in the New World. Coupled with the fact that the Olmec had no official form of writing, most of what we can gather about them comes from archaeology. From what we can tell, the famous “Rubber People” of the Central American jungle thrived between 1200 and 500 BC. This means the entirety of Olmec civilization had come and gone before Alexander conquered the known world.
2. The Olmec built massive stone sculptures.
Probably the most common, if not the only, thing people know about the Olmec is that they build massive statues in the shape of human heads. Though we do not know to whom they were dedicated, the Colossal Heads were likely built to resemble deceased leaders or even the gods. It appears Olmec sculptures were really a – head of their time hahaha… ha… ugh.
3. The Olmec were the first to mass adopt the Mesoamerican ball game.
Though its exact origination date is unknown, early Olmec peoples were likely some of the first to adopt the Mesoamerican ballgame. Known today as pok-ta-pok (naming convention is Mayan), the objective is to bounce a rubber ball through a mounted ring using nothing but your hips. You can watch a video of it here. The game is believed to have a religious significance, although the rumors of human sacrifice for the losing team cannot be traced to the Olmec. The Maya, however, is a different story.
4. The Olmec built the first pyramid in the Americas.
At first sight, The Great Pyramid of La Venta looks like nothing special: a large earthen mound that rises out of the jungle. But this mound was once a glorious step pyramid that was used as a center for religious rituals and other ceremonies. Built around 2,500 years ago, the pyramid has experienced severe erosion which is likely the reason it has never been excavated.
5. The Olmec had a fascination with Jaguars.
Within the Olmec heartland, the people were well acquainted with the jaguar. As a major predator, the jungle cats were incredibly revered and even incorporated into Olmec mythology. Known as the Were-Jaguar, this deity was of great importance though surprisingly we do not know its exact dedication.
6. The Olmec created the first Mesoamerican calendar.
As the first sedentary peoples of Mesoamerica, the Olmec had a vested interest in predicting farming seasons. After all, you need to be able to feed your population if you plan on growing it. To do this, the Olmec turned to the stars and created the first Mesoamerican calendar. Inspirationally named the 260-day and 365-day calendars, they helped the Olmec predict seasons and celebrate religious ceremonies accordingly.
7. The Olmec might have been from Africa.
Well… not actually. There is a conspiracy theory that has been gaining traction in recent years that the Olmec actually originated in Africa. This is based on nothing more than the features of the previously mentioned Colossal Head statues resembling those of western Africa. Of course, if we were going by this logic wouldn’t that mean all Americans are blue and enjoy wearing crowns like the Statue of Liberty? There is no factual evidence to support the theory that the Olmecs are originally from Africa, and they likely immigrated to southern Mexico from the Eurasian steppe.
8. The Olmec discovered chocolate.
The ancient Olmecs are believed to be the first people to domesticate the cacao tree, a tropical plant from which chocolate is created. It’s believed that even in early Mesoamerica, chocolate was highly regarded, but not for its sweetness. It was actually quite bitter and known for its nutritional value rather than cavities. Who would’ve thought eating chocolate would be good for you?
9. The Olmec culture has been recovered primarily through archeology.
Funny enough, everything I have told you before has been based solely on archeology. When the Spanish Conquistadors first landed on the shores of Central America in the 1500s, the Olmec culture had been extinct for nearly 2000 years. The Aztecs knew of them and called them the “Rubber People” of the coast, but other than that there was no actual record of their existence. That all changed when in 1929 Matthew Sterling, an American archeologist, identified the Olmec as the earlier “mother culture” of Mesoamerica rather than a contemporary of the Maya.
10. The Olmec influenced all cultures that came after them.
The Olmec are considered by many to be a ‘Mother Culture’ for all Central American civilizations. When thinking of a ‘Mother Culture’ think about how the Romans were so heavily influenced by the Greeks. This same phenomenon occurred in ancient Mesoamerica with the Olmecs taking the place of Greece and the Aztecs/Maya taking the place of Rome. The Olmec inspired many aspects of Aztec/Maya life, everything from their calendar to their political hierarchy to their gods.
Hoags’ Hypothesis
I find the Olmec to be a fascinating culture that not many people know about. Because there was no direct confrontation between them and the Spanish, the Olmec seem to have been all but forgotten. A footnote prior to the discovery of Columbus and the conquest of Cortez. Well, I for one have had enough of it. If you discovered chocolate, you deserve to be way more than a footnote. Hopefully, as we begin to unearth more about this civilization, the Olmec will become a household name, one that stands with the Aztecs and Maya.
Is there a fact about the Olmec you wish others knew? What other civilizations do you feel are overlooked? Submit your answer in the comments below!