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400
Olmec Begining
The Olmec civilization thrived along the Mexico gulf coast from 1200 400 BC. The Olmecs lived along the east coast of Mexico down to Guatemala. The Olmecs were an advanced civilization and they built huge heads and villages. -
500
Olmec Intelligence
The Olmecs were very smart. They were so smart they invented their own calendar around 500 BCE. They were also strong influences on later civilians like the Maya. -
Apr 13, 900
Olmec Heads
The Olmecs are recognized for 17 large stone heads. The range in size from 1.47 to 3.4 meters (4.82 to 11.15 ft). It is thought that this heads were portrait of Olmec rulers. The heads date from at least before 900 BC. -
Apr 13, 1000
Olmec Gods
Starting around 1000 BC the Olmec tribe believed that the jaguar was a rain god. The Olmecs choose the jaguar because it was believed to be the most powerful and most feared animal. The Olmecs also believe that the jaguar was an avatar of the living and the dead. In May the Olmecs would sacrifice blood to the jaguar, wear masks, dance, and crack whips to imitate thunder. -
Apr 13, 1000
More Olmec Gods
Around 1000 BC the Olmecs worshipped at least 10 different gods. Some of the gods worshipped were rain god, fire god, and corn god. The Olmecs main god is the rain god. -
Olmec Games
Between 2500 100 BCE the Olmecs started making rubber balls that were used to play games like soccer or football. The word olmec means ‘’people from the rubber country.’’ Sometimes the contests supplied candidates for sacrifices so the games sometimes were life or death. -
More Olmec Games
Around 2600 BCE the Olmecs played games with rubber balls. The fields were sometimes 120 by 30 feet. The rubber ball was solid and heavy, weighing between 6 and 10 pounds. Each team tried to score points by getting the ball through stone hoops at the ends of the court and they could not use their hands or feet. -
Olmec System
The Olmecs used a system called the Long Count. The Long Count system was a two calendar system counting back to the start date of August 13 3114 BCE. The numerals used to express the Long Count were expressed as a bar and dot system. A bar equals five and a dot equals one. -
Olmec Irrigation
Around 4300 BC the Olmecs started an important feature of the cities. Long U-shaped rectangular blocks of basalt. Research subjects that these were used to provide drinking water to the villagers. -
Olmec Farming
The Olmecs began farming around 4600 BCE. They shared basic food crops and technology of the later Olmec civilizations. The Olmecs grew maize (corn), beans, squash, manioc, sweet potato and cotton. The Olmecs used the slash and burn technique. They would burn the trees and plants to make fields and the ashs acted like fertilizer.
