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Early Mesoamerican
Civilizations
MAIN IDEA

WHY IT MATTERS NOW

The Olmec created the Americas first

civilization, which in turn influenced
later civilizations in the region.

Later American civilizations relied on

the technology and achievements of
earlier cultures to move forward.

TERMS & NAMES

Mesoamerica
Olmec
Zapotec
Monte Albn

SETTING THE STAGE The story of developed civilizations in the Americas begins in a

region archaeologists and historians refer to as Mesoamerica. This area stretches

south from central Mexico to the northern reaches of modern-day Honduras. It was
here, more than 3,000 years ago, that the first complex societies in the Americas arose.

Mesoamericas Mother Culture

Mesoamericas first known civilization builders were a people known as the Olmec.
They began carving out a thriving society around 1200 B.C. in the humid jungles of
southern Mexico. The Olmec influenced neighboring groups, as well as the later civilizations of the region. Thus, they often are called Mesoamericas mother culture.
The Rise of Olmec Civilization Around 1860, a worker clearing a field in the

This Olmec figure

represents either
a wrestler or ball
player. The Olmec
played a game
in which two
opponents battled
to place a ball in
a goal. The loser
often was sacrificed.

hot coastal plain of southeastern Mexico uncovered an extraordinary stone

sculpture. It stood five feet tall and weighed an estimated eight tons. The sculpture was of an enormous head, wearing a headpiece that resembled a football
helmet. The head was carved in a strikingly realistic style, with thick lips, a flat
nose, and large oval eyes. (See History Through Art on page 219.)
Archaeologists had never seen anything like it in the Americas.
This head, along with others that were discovered later, was a
remnant of the Olmec civilization. The Olmec flourished from 1200 B.C.
to 400 B.C. They lived along the Gulf Coast of Mexico, in the modern-day
Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco.
On the surface, the Gulf Coast seemed an unlikely site for a high culture to take
root. The region was hot and humid and covered with swamps and jungle. In some
places, giant trees formed a thick cover that prevented most sunlight from reaching the ground. Up to 100 inches of rain fell every year. The rainfall swelled
rivers and caused severe flooding.
However, the region also had certain advantages. There were abundant
deposits of salt and tar, as well as fine clay used in making pottery. There
was also wood and rubber from the rain forest. The hills to the north provided hard
stone from which the Olmec could make tools and monuments. The rivers that laced
the region provided a ready means of transport. Perhaps most important, the flood
plains of these rivers provided fertile land for farming.
The Olmec used their abundant resources to build thriving communities. The oldest site, San Lorenzo, dates back to around 1150 B.C. Here, and at other sites, archaeologists uncovered important clues that offered a glimpse into the Olmec world.
Olmec Society At San Lorenzo archaeologists discovered earthen mounds, court-

yards, and pyramids. Set among these earthworks were large stone monuments. They
included columns, altars, and more colossal, sculpted heads, which may have represented particular Olmec rulers. These giant monuments weigh as much as 44 tons.
Researchers are left to wonder how the Olmec moved them to various centers of

216 Chapter 9

THINK THROUGH HISTORY

A. Making
Inferences In what
ways did the Olmecs
environment help
in the creation of
its civilization?
A. Possible Answer
The region supplied
abundant natural
resources, and the
surrounding flood
plains provided fertile
farmland.

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SIE

Tropic of Cancer

90W

RR
MA

Gulf of
Mexico

DR

YUCATAN
PENINSULA

20N

Bay of
Campeche
San Lorenzo

La Venta

Oaxaca
Valley

250 Miles

500 Kilometers

PACIFIC
OCEAN

G E O G R A P H Y S K I L L B U I L D E R : Interpreting Maps
1. Movement Judging from the map, what was one way in which
the Olmec spread their influence?
2. Movement What difficulties might the Olmec have
encountered in developing their trade routes?

Jaguar Worship Most of all they

probably worshiped the jaguar spirit.
Numerous Olmec sculptures and carvings depict a half-human, half-jaguar creature.
Some scholars believe that the jaguar represented a powerful rain god. Others contend that there were several jaguar gods, representing such vital things as the earth,
fertility, and maize. As anthropologist Peter Furst points out, the jaguar was central to
Olmec religion:
A V O I C E A B O U T T H E PA S T
You can almost call the Olmec the people of the jaguar. In tropical
America, jaguars were the shamans [medicine men] of the animal
world, the alter ego [other identity] of the shaman. They are the most
powerful predators. That's why in Olmec art you get these combinations of jaguars and humans.
PETER FURST, quoted in New Light on the Olmec

Trade and Commerce Archaeologists once believed that sites such

Vocabulary
artisan: a skilled
worker or craftsman.

Olmec homeland
Oaxaca Valley
Possible trade routes
Centers of Olmec civilization
Other Olmec sites
Limit of Mesoamerica

ERN

B. Clarifying What
is the jaguar believed
to have represented
to the Olmec?
B. Possible Answer
A powerful rain god,
as well as the earth,
fertility, and maize.

Olmec Civilization, 900 B.C.

EAST

THINK THROUGH HISTORY

100W

worship. Some scholars suspect that

Olmec workers moved these sculptures over land on rolling logs to the
river banks. From there, they rafted
the monuments along numerous
waterways to various sites.
The organization needed for such
an undertaking is one reason scholars
think San Lorenzo was home to a
small ruling class of priests and nobles.
These rulers may have commanded a
much larger group of peasant farmers
living in the surrounding country.
To the east of San Lorenzo, another
significant Olmec site, La Venta, rose
around 900 B.C. Here, researchers discovered a 100-foot-high mound of
earth and clay. This structure may have
served as the tomb of a great Olmec
ruler. Known as the Great Pyramid, the
mound also may have been the center
of the Olmec religion. Based on other
artifacts found at sites like La Venta,
experts believe the Olmec prayed to a
variety of nature gods.

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as La Venta were ceremonial centers where important rituals were

performed but few people lived. In recent years, however, experts have
begun to revise that view. According to Mexican archaeologist Rebecca
Gonzlez, La Venta was not just an empty ceremonial spot visited
by Olmec priests and nobles, but a prosperous community of fishers,
farmers, traders, and specialists, such as the artisans and the sculptors.
Indeed, the Olmec appear to have been a prosperous people who
directed a large trading network throughout Mesoamerica. Olmec
goods traveled as far as Mexico City to the north and Honduras to
the south. In addition, raw materialsincluding iron ore and various
stonesreached San Lorenzo from faraway regions. This trade network helped boost the Olmec economy and spread Olmec influence
to other parts of Mesoamerica.

CONNECT to TODAY
Jaguar Worship
Some descendants of the Olmec and
other Mesoamerican peoples still
practice jaguar worship. In the
spring, villagers in Acatlan, Mexico,
put on jaguar masks and draw blood
in mock combat. They do this in the
hope that the jaguar will shed its
own blood, in the form of rain, to
water the fields. In another ritual,
shown here, a boy becomes a
jaguar dancer to bring rain.

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Decline of the Olmec For reasons that are not fully understood, Olmec civilization

THINK THROUGH HISTORY

eventually collapsed. Scholars believe San Lorenzo was destroyed around 900 B.C. La
Venta may have fallen sometime around 400 B.C. Some experts speculate that outside
invaders caused the destruction. Others believe the Olmec may have destroyed their
own monuments upon the death of their rulers.
Because the Olmec apparently left no written records, scholars may never know the
full truth. Nevertheless, Olmec artifacts continue to offer up tantalizing clues about this
first known Mesoamerican civilization.

C. Hypothesizing
What things
might lead to the
disappearance of an
entire civilization?
C. Possible Answer
An overwhelming
enemy attack, disease, crop failure,
drought.

Zapotec Civilization Arises

By the time Olmec civilization had collapsed, another peoplethe Zapotecwere developing an advanced society to the southwest, in what is now the Mexican state of Oaxaca
(wuh HAH kah). Though they showed traces of Olmec influence, the Zapotec built a
unique civilization. This ancient group dominated Oaxaca for more than a thousand years.

Peoples of the Oaxaca Valley Oaxaca is a rugged region of mountains and valleys

in southern Mexico. In the center of the state, three valleys meet to form a large open
area known as the Oaxaca Valley. (See map on page 217.) Though much of Oaxaca is
hot and dry, this valley has fertile soil, a mild climate, and enough rainfall to support
agriculture. As a result, various peoples have made the Oaxaca Valley their home,
including the ancient Zapotec.
For centuries the Zapotec lived in scattered villages throughout the valley. By 1000
B.C., however, one siteSan Jos Mogotewas emerging as the main power in the
region. At this site, the Zapotec constructed stone platforms. They also built temples
and began work on monumental sculptures. By 500 b.c. they also had developed early
forms of hieroglyphic writing and a calendar system.

HISTORY THROUGH ART: Sculpture

A Legacy of Sculpture
More than 2,000 years after the Olmecs
collapse, the ancient societys sculpture
remains its most lasting legacy. From the
colossal stone heads to the tiny jade
figures, these carvings reveal the Olmecs
expert craftsmanship and commitment
to detail. They also provide a glimpse of
the values and beliefs of the Americas
oldest known civilization.

Giant Altars
The Olmec carved a number of impressive
altars. Like the one pictured to the right, they
often depicted a priest or shaman emerging
from the structure. In numerous altars, the priest
cradles a child. Some scholars believe that this
may have signified the importance of the notion
of dynastywith the child representing the heir
to the thronein Olmec society.

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THINK THROUGH HISTORY

D. Comparing
How does Monte
Albns population
compare to the populations of todays
major cities?
D. Possible Answer
It was much smaller;
many of todays large
cities have several
million residents.

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The Zapotec Flourish at Monte Albn Around 500 B.C., Zapotec civilization took
a major leap forward. High atop a mountain at the center of the Oaxaca Valley, the
Zapotec built the first real urban center in the Americas: Monte Albn. This city,
with its commanding view of the entire valley, grew and prospered over the next
several centuries. By 200 B.C., Monte Albn was home to around 15,000 people. The
city eventually would reach a peak population of 25,000.
From A.D. 250 to A.D. 700, Monte Albn was truly impressive. At the heart of the
city was a giant plaza paved with stones. Towering pyramids, temples, and palaces, all
made out of stone, surrounded this plaza. There was even a building that may have
acted as an observatory for gazing at the stars. Nearby was a series of stone carvings of
corpses. Their thick lips and flat noses show a clear influence of Olmec style.
For more than a thousand years the Zapotec controlled the Oaxaca Valley and the
surrounding region. Sometime after A.D. 600, however, the Zapotec began to decline.
Some scholars believe they may have suffered a loss of trade or other economic
difficulties. As with the Olmec, the fall of Zapotec civilization remains a puzzle.

The Early Mesoamericans Legacy

Although both the Zapotec and Olmec civilizations eventually collapsed, each culture
left its mark on the Mesoamerican civilizations that followed.
The Olmec Leave Their Mark The Olmec contributed much to later MesoamerVocabulary
motif: a repeated
theme in a literary or
artistic work.

ican civilizations. They influenced the powerful Maya, who will be discussed in
Chapter 16. Olmec art styles, especially the use of the jaguar motif, can be seen in the
pottery and sculpture of later peoples in the region. In addition, future Mesoamerican
societies copied the Olmec pattern of urban design. Like the Olmec, later civilizations
built cities by combining pyramids, plazas, and monumental sculpture.

Jade Figures
With little technology at their disposal, the
Olmec mastered the difficult art of carving jade.
Jade is a hard and tough but highly colorful
stone. The tough material was mastered as
though it were a plastic, one scholar said of the
Olmecs work. As shown here, the Olmec often
carved jaguar figures out of jade. The jaguar-god
was a powerful deity in Olmec society.

Colossal Heads
Perhaps the most recognizable
Olmec sculptures are the giant
stone heads. Researchers
have uncovered more than a
dozen Olmec heads. The largest
one stands 11 feet tall. Some
scholars say that the heads
represent idolized warriors or
ball players. However, most
experts believe they depict
individual rulers.

Connect

to History

Analyzing Issues What characteristics of Olmec society does

each of these sculptures convey?
SEE SKILLBUILDER
HANDBOOK, PAGE R12

Connect

to Today

Comparing Consider the betterknown sculptures and monuments

in your country. What do they say
about your civilization?

The Americas: A Separate World 219

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Daily Life
Working Hard For Water
Monte Albns position upon a
mountain top (depicted in this photograph of its ruins) added to its
magnificence. But it also presented
a daily problem for the citys
residents: limited access to water.
Perched so high above the
valley, Monte Albn had no natural
waterways leading into the city.
Scholars believe that city leaders
may have organized citizens to
carry drinking water up the
mountainas far as 1,500 feet
in jars.

The Olmec also left behind the notions of planned ceremonial

centers, ritual ball games, and an elite ruling class. And while there
is no clear evidence that the Olmec used a written language, their
descendants or a related people carved out stone symbols that may
have influenced later glyph writing.
Zapotec Contributions The Zapotec left behind their own legacy.

It included a hieroglyphic language and a calendar system based on

the movement of the sun. In addition, the Zapotec are noted as the
Americas first city builders. Monte Albn combined ceremonial
grandeur with residential living space. This style influenced the development of future
urban centers and became a hallmark of Mesoamerican civilizations.
As the Zapotec and Olmec flourished and then declined, civilizations were also taking
shape in South America. Along the rough and mountainous terrain in what is now Peru,
ancient peoples came together. There, they created more advanced and complex societies.

E. Possible
Answers Olmecs
sculpture and planned
ceremonial centers;
Zapotecs hieroglyphic
language and
calendar system.

THINK THROUGH HISTORY

E. Forming Opinions
What do you consider
to be the Olmecs and
Zapotecs most important contributions to
later cultures? Why?

Section 2 Assessment
1. TERMS & NAMES

Identify
Mesoamerica
Olmec
Zapotec
Monte Albn

2. TAKING NOTES

3. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

Compare the Olmec and Zapotec

cultures by using a Venn diagram
similar to the one below.

Why do you think the Olmec are

called Mesoamericas mother
culture? Consider the Olmecs
influence on later groups in the
region.

THINK ABOUT
Olmec

Both

Zapotec

Design another way to

show this same information.

220 Chapter 9

architecture
religion
art

4. THEME ACTIVITY

Cultural Interaction As a
trader from a small Mesoamerican
village, you have just returned
from your first visit to the Olmec
site at La Venta. Write a description of what you might tell your
family about the wondrous things
you saw in and around the site.
Prepare to present the description
orally to the class.