9781422286838

No one is certain what these colossal heads are meant to represent. They were carved by the ancient Olmec people of Mexico. Most experts think these heads are meant to depict powerful Olmec kings, but because of the headgear some believe they may represent ballplayers or warriors.

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Ancient Civilizations T he first civilization to inhabit Mexico was probably the Olmecs. Historians believe that the Olmec civilization originated around 1500 B . C . These people were once thought to have settled in the Southern Coastal Plains, but the discovery of new ruins suggests that they may have originally settled on the Pacific Coast and moved inland. The Olmec civilization is perhaps best known for making the “Olmec heads.” These were large sculptures made of stone, depicting the heads of men wearing helmets. These sculptures were set at important Olmec sites, and are lasting reminders of this ancient culture. The Olmecs are credited with developing a system of numbering, a calendar, and writing. They are believed to be the first people in the New World to develop religious centers and pyramids. These accomplishments earned them the title “mother culture” for the generations of Amerindian civilizations that followed in Mesoamerica . Despite all of the advances made by the Olmec culture, however, by 400 B . C ., the Olmecs had disappeared. They were replaced by other civilizations, such as the Zapotec and the Mixtec.

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