Search Results: Olmec colossal heads

The Olmec civilization, located in ancient Mexico, prospered in Pre-Classical (Formative) Mesoamerica from c. 1200 BCE to c. 400 BCE. Monumental sacred complexes, massive stone sculptures, ball games, the drinking of chocolate, and animal...

The stone head sculptures of the Olmec civilization of the Gulf Coast of Mexico (1200 BCE - 400 BCE) are amongst the most mysterious and debated artefacts from the ancient world. The most agreed upon theory is that, because of their unique...

An Olmec colossal stone head in basalt from San Lorenzo, c. 1200-400 BCE. Although all wear the hat or headdress worn during war and the Mesoamerican ballgame, each of these massive heads has unique features which suggests they depict specific...

A basalt colossal head from the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica. Provenance: Veracruz, Mexico, 1200-900 BCE. The significance of the heads is disputed but as no two heads are alike and each headdress has distinctive designs they may represent...

Jade was a highly-esteemed material in many Mesoamerican cultures, making it a valued regional trade good and first choice for objects of religious and artistic value such as masks, ceremonial axeheads, figurines, and jewellery. Jade, because...

Overview of the colossal heads on the West Terrace of Mount Nemrut, a tomb-sanctuary built by King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene in the 1st century BCE on one of the highest peaks of the Eastern Taurus mountain range in what is now south-eastern...

This map illustrates the rise and extent of the Olmec civilization, which flourished from around 1200 to 400 BCE (the earliest Olmec finds near the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán sites, date back to c.1600) in the present-day Gulf Coast in the...

The genesis of Maya civilization in Mesoamerica was marked by an effervescence in the arts, the beginnings of their written language with glyphs, and a great attention to detail in the sphere of urban planning. Yet, despite these tremendous...

An Olmec colossal stone head in basalt from La Venta, c. 1200-400 BCE. Although all wear the hat or headdress worn during war and the Mesoamerican ballgame, each of these massive heads has unique features which suggests they depict specific...

A polished jade celt or ceremonial axehead from the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica. The Olmec ritually buried celts to appease the gods and guarantee future harvests, particularly of maize which jade was associated with. (Metropolitan...