5th+hour+Olmecs+(Mesoamerica)

Sarah Jozwiak, Frank Guerin, Olivia Demarest, Miranda McLean 5th Hour Ancient Olmecs Introduction The Olmec civilization was known as the mother culture, it was the first complex society along the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The name Olmec means “people of the land of rubber,” this is because where the Olmec people settled there were native rubber trees in the area. The ancient Olmec civilization was present during the years of 1200 B.C. to 400 B.C. The Olmec civilization influenced the Mayan and Aztec culture in their temples and art. Scientists believe that the Olmec people originally came from Africa. (Olmec, 2010) -Sarah Jozwiak and Olivia Demarest This is a picture of where the Olmecs lived in Meso-America during the time. ﻿ @http://www.andaman.org/BOOK/chapter54/text-Olmec/text-Olmec.htm

Arts and Architecture The Olmecs are known for the artistry skills, and their ability to carve from jade and stone, and volcanic rock basalt. The Olmecs created some of the first Mesoamerican art pieces. The very first art piece from the Olmecs found was the colossal stone heads. In 1939, a colossal stone head found gave archeologist the ability to place the Olmecs on the timeline and they were no longer considered part of the Mayan culture. Jade figurines were also very important spiritual art pieces. Other art pieces were pictures depicting some of their gods and human rulers with their supernatural powers. The Olmecs main art contribution was the giant colossal heads with multiples being found in every main city in the Olmec civilization. (Olmec contributions, 2010) -Sarah Jozwiak Above is a picture of a colossal stone head from the Olmec culture, these were very important pieces of art to the people. @http://www.wafrika.com/2008/07/connecting-the-dots-the-olmec/

Public Works In the oldest Olmec settlement found to date, archeologist uncovered many public works such as ceremonial platforms, large plazas, a great pyramid, and multiple tombs. These were all public works because they helped the community and were a major part in their religion which all their people worshipped. With the large plazas came trade networks and many roads to use which bettered the settlement and made it a complex city. (Olmec contribution, 2010) -Sarah Jozwiak Above is a picture of one of the temples that the Olmec culture had influence on. @http://worldfamousbuilding.blogspot.com/2009/08/mesoamerican-pyramid.html

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Social Classes

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The social classes of the olmecs are widely contested due to the lack of hard evidence to decide on an official heirarchy, however through the intepretation of artwork, and knowledge of the civilization that proceeded the olmecs, historians have decided that there was a class of wealthy, including the leaders, and possibly extremely successful merchants, followed by a middle class of craftsmen, and then a lower class of laborers and farmers. - Frank Guerin <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">    A depiction of someone who was probably of a higher social status, because of the fact that he is even being depicted as well as the fact that he is well adorned [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Job Specialization <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The ancient Olmec people had, out of necessity, specialized their careers to include farming, manual laborers, including builders, miners and farmhands, architects,leaders/rulers, merchants, and religious priests, among other things. People had to specialize their jobs in order to create a better quality of life, and fufill their religious desires. -Frank Guerin

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">(above) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">a fish vessel used to carry liquids, was created by someone with a specialized crafting job. [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Cities <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The ancient civilization of the Olmecs didn't exactly have cities, they made things more along the lines of ceremonial centers. These centers were usually marked by a distinct, large stone carvings. Each center was made up of at least 50 people, all working together to get jobs and other necessities compleated. They could settle almost anywhere, as long as it had good conditions for farming. (World Geography, 2010) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">-Olivia Demarest <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">This is an example of how the Olmecs marked each part of their settlements. This particular marking is one of the most famous artistic creations from this period. Citation ://La Venta//. Photograph. //Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition//. Web. 17 Sept. 2010 2010 < @http://www.school.eb.com/eb/art-126436 >.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Religion <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The Ancient Olmecs practiced shamanism, which means they believed every single person has their own animal spirit. To them, the most important animal was the jaguar, and they prayed to them as if it were an ancestor to a god. The things believed in by the Ancient Olmecs are mostly no longer believed in now, however some believers can be found among the Pueblo Indians. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2010) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">-Olivia Demarest <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The jaguar was the main symbol that the Ancient Olmecs religiously responded to. They prayed to them as if they were Gods, and jaguars were considered sacred. @http://www.animalwebguide.com/Jaguar.htm

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;">Writing and Record Keeping
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The Olmec people introduced writing to the New World. Olmec writing is unique, but its symbols are similar to those used by the Vai in West Africa. The hieroglyphic signs were. There are two forms of Olmec hieroglyphic writing: the pure hieroglyphics, which were simply Olmec syllabic signs used to make pictures; and the phonetic hieroglyphics, which are a combination of syllabic and logographic signs. Deciphering the Olmec writing provides us with insight into the world of the Olmecs. Olmecs engraved many symbols or signs on pottery, statuettes, and scepters that have been recognized as a possible form of writing. (Bekman, 2007) <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">-Miranda McLean OLMEC GLYPH 900-500 BC: Dallas Museum <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">This plaque depicts the story of creation, where the World Tree sprouts from the four different corners of the earth. Elders and leaders in farming communities established a shared version of their world, and rubbed red paint on etchings in polished stone. (Bekman, 2007) <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><[]>

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">Government <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The first government established by the Olmecs was considered a state government, controlled by what are assumed today to be very powerful leaders. Their rulers were also priests, who possessed both religious and political power (Cridlin, 2002). The Olmec rulers were believed by their people to be of divine origins, and therefore, the infamous Olmec giant head sculptures were made in their honor. This indicates a position of great authority, as only a strong ruler could command the manpower required to create and transport the sculptures to the leader’s seat of power. The large thrones with the sculptures are found only at capitals like San Lorenzo, indicating the respect of their ruler’s godly origins. (Sims, 2007) -Miranda McLean <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">This is one of the great stone heads created for the Olmec leaders. It is on display at the Olmec civilization at the Smithsonian Institution. (Bekman, 2007) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">< []>

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Conclusion <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Olmec civilization, known for its giant stone head sculptures, was the first complex society in the area around the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. As the first of its kind there, it has left a great impact on the cultures of the following civilizations, like the Mayans and the Aztecs. Known as the mother culture, it has influenced the culture of the southern United States. The way they lived has left a great impact on everything from religion to art, which can still be seen even in today’s society. -Miranda McLean These two little girls are descendants from the Ancient Olmecs, and live in the modern day area of where their ancestors resided. []

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">Works Cited <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Olmec." //World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras//. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 20 Sept. 2010. <http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Olmec Contributions to Mesoamerican Civilization (Overview)." //World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras//. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 20 Sept. 2010. <http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"**Mexico: History**." //World Geography: Understanding a Changing World//. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 20 Sept. 2010. < @http://worldgeography.abc-clio.com/ > <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"**Mexico**." //Encyclopædia Britannica//. //Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition//. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010. Web. 20 Sept. 2010 < @http://www.school.eb.com/eb/article-27347 >. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The Olmecs: A Mesoamerican Wonder, Kimberly Lavin ã December 1, 1999 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">“The Ancient Olmec Civilization” StasoSphere – Stas Bekman, 2007, Aztec-History.com <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Web. 20 Sept. 2010 < [] > <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">“Native Olmec Indians” Erin Cridlin, Essortment.com, 2002 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Web. 20 Sept. 2010 < [] > <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">“American Archeology (Vol. 9, No. 4)” Michael Sims, World Almanac and Book of Facts 2007; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Winter 2005-06, pp. 33-38  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Web. 20 Sept. 2010 <[]> @http://www.andaman.org/BOOK/chapter54/text-Olmec/text-Olmec.htm @http://www.wafrika.com/2008/07/connecting-the-dots-the-olmec/ @http://worldfamousbuilding.blogspot.com/2009/08/mesoamerican-pyramid.html [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 9pt;">[]