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Olmecs

By fjohns25
  • 1500 BCE

    The Very Beginning

    The Very Beginning
    An Ulama stadium was completed in Mexico around this time. The Olmecs (still a part of a different civilization) played here using something known as "rubber latex balls". These balls are apparently what gave the Olmecs their name.
  • 1300 BCE

    Rising Up

    Rising Up
    The Olmecs started to rise around this period, and would later become very influential to other civilizations.
  • 1200 BCE

    First Art

    First Art
    The first trace of the Olmecs’ art was found to be from this century. It was a stone head that they had built in San Lorenzo.
  • 1200 BCE

    Cave Paintings

    Cave Paintings
    Cave paintings were made by the Olmecs, most likely somewhere in this time period. Specifically, 1,200-900 BC.
  • 1200 BCE

    San Lorenzo

    San Lorenzo
    San Lorenzo’s construction and maybe even completion started around this time. This place would become the capital of the Olmecs for 300 years!
  • 1200 BCE

    Colossal Heads

    Colossal Heads
    Ancient structures that are commonly known as "colossal heads" were built all over the place around 1,200-900 BC.
  • 1100 BCE

    Trading

    Trading
    The Olmec started widespread trading with other groups of people in the 1100s (BC). This allowed their culture to spread throughout the Americas.
  • 1000 BCE

    The Maya

    The Maya
    Olmec artifacts from this time could be found in Mayan villages. This is one of the clear signs that they were very influential to other cultures.
  • 900 BCE

    Writing

    Writing
    In Cazcajal, a piece of stone with Olmec writing on it was created. This first trace of Olmec writing would later be discovered in the 1800s.
  • 900 BCE

    Invasion?

    Invasion?
    In this century, San Lorenzo was destroyed. This ruined many artifacts and monuments. This could have been an invasion, it’s unknown. Because of this, La Venta became the new capital.
  • 900 BCE

    Jade

    Jade
    Around this time, the Olmecs started to use Jade in their artifacts.
  • 900 BCE

    Pyramids

    Pyramids
    Sometime in this century, the Olmecs would start building pyramids around their cities.
  • 400 BCE

    More Invasions

    More Invasions
    The capital of the Olmecs, La Venta, was destroyed
  • 350 BCE

    The Decline

    The Decline
    The Olmec civilization started to quickly become extinct around this time. The reason for this is unknown.