Olmeki is one of the mysterious peoples of antiquity. Olmeki - several theories of the origin of civilization Calendar Olmekov and others who disappeared the knowledge of the ancient state

Ecology of knowledge: all these heads are cut out of whole boulder blocks. The smallests have a height of 1.5 m, the largest - about 3.5 m. Most of the Olmek goals are about 2 m. Accordingly, the weight of these huge sculptures ranges from 10 to 35 tons!

All these heads are cut out of whole boulder blocks. The smallests have a height of 1.5 m, the largest - about 3.5 m. Most of the Olmek goals are about 2 m. Accordingly, the weight of these huge sculptures ranges from 10 to 35 tons!

When looking at the head, there are many questions immediately arise, which you want to get a clear answer to the all-knowing science. The features of the face for each of the 17 giant heads are not individual and everyone has one common feature - characteristic non-horizon signs. Where in Decolumbovy America, negros took, if, according to official science, there could be no contacts to Columbus between Africa and America? And Olmeki themselves did not look like blacks, which follows from other numerous figurines and figures. And only these 17 heads are endowed with nozzide.

With what tools in the absence of metal (again according to the official version), basalt was treated with such accuracy and detail, one of the most durable stones from which the heads are made? Is it really a stone?

As multi-torque boulders, some up to 35 tons weight, delivered to the placement area 90 km from their prey through the jungle of rough terrain? Despite the fact that (in the same version), the wheels of Olmeki did not know (by the way, it was already proven what they knew).

Why make them doing so big? After all, Olmekov has many other sculptures, and heads including quite normal size and quite American (Indian) appearance. And only these 17 Negro Forers are an exception. What is the honor of them? Or is it in a kind of magnitude?Now let's try to answer these questions ...

Civilization of Olmekov is considered the first, "maternal" civilization of Mexico. Like all other first civilizations, it arises immediately and in the "finished form": with a developed hieroglyphic writing, an accurate calendar, canonized art, with developed architecture. According to the ideas of modern researchers, the civilization of Olmekov arose about the middle of the II thousand BC. and existed about a thousand years. The main centers of this culture were located in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Mexico on the territory of the modern states of Tobasco and Veracru. But the cultural influence of Olmekov can be traced throughout the Central Mexico. There is still nothing about the people who created this first Mexican civilization. The name "Olmeki", meaning "rubber people" is given by modern scientists. But where did this people come from, in which language, it was spoke, where the centuries disappeared - all these main questions remain unanswered after more than half a century of research of Olmek culture.

Olmeki is the oldest and most mysterious civilization of Mexico. These peoples settled along the entire coast of the Gulf of Mexican, approximately in the third millennium to our era.
Cohazekoalkos was the main river of Olmekov. Its name means "Snake Sanctuary".

According to the legends it was in this river a farewell to the ancient deity of Cetzalcoatlia. Cetzalcoatl or the Grand Kukulan, as his name was Maja, was a feathered snake and a mysterious person. This snake had a powerful physique, noble features of the face, and, in general, a completely human appearance.
I wonder where he came from among the redheads and faboride Olmekov? According to the giving, he came and went through the water. It was he who trained Olmekov to all handicrafts, moral basics and a time bill. Cetzalcoatl condemned the sacrifice and was against violence..

San Lorenzo, La Venta and Tres Sapotes are considered the largest monuments of Olmekov. These were the real city center, the first on the territory of Mexico. They included large ceremonial complexes with earthy pyramids, an extensive system of irrigation canals, urban blocks and numerous necropolis.

Olmeki reached the present perfection in the processing of stone, including very hard rocks. Olmek products from jade are considered to be masterpieces of ancient American art. The monumental sculpture of Olmekov included multi-torque altars from granite and basalt, carved steles, sculptures in human growth. But one of the most remarkable and mysterious features of this civilization are huge stone heads.

The first such head was found back in 1862 in La Venta. To date, 17 such giant human heads discovered 17, ten of them come from San Loresno, four of La Venta, the rest - from two monuments of Olmek culture. All these heads are cut out of whole boulder blocks. The smallests have a height of 1.5 m, the biggest head found on the monument Rancho La Cobat reaches 3.4 m in height. The average height of most Olmek goals is about 2 m. Accordingly, the weight of these huge sculptures ranges from 10 to 35 tons!

All heads are made in a single stylistic manner, but it is obvious that each of them is a portrait of a concrete person. Each head is crowned with a headdress, most of all resembling a player's helmet in American football. But all hats are individual, there is not a single repetition. All heads have carefully worked ears with decorations in the form of major seagles or ear inserts. Piercing of the auricles was a typical tradition for all the ancient cultures of Mexico. One of the heads, the biggest one of the ranch of La Cobat, depicts a person with her eyes closed, all the other sixteen heads are wide open. Those. Each such sculpture was to depict a particular person with a characteristic set of individual traits. It can be said that Olmek's heads are images of concrete people. But despite the individuality of the features, all the gigantic heads of Olmekov unites one common and mysterious feature.

Portraits of people depicted on these sculptures have brightly pronounced Negroid features: a wide shredded nose with large nostrils, chubby lips and big eyes. Such features do not fit with the main anthropological type of the ancient population of Mexico. In Olmek art, whether it is sculpture, relief or small plastic, in most cases a typical Indian appearance is reflected, peculiar to the American race. But not on the gigantic heads. Such black feature was marked by the first researchers from the very beginning. This led to the emergence of various hypotheses: from assumptions about the migration of immigrants from Africa to allegations that such a racial type was characteristic of the oldest residents of Southeast Asia, which was part of the first immigrants to America. However, this problem was rather quickly "descended on the brakes" by representatives of official science. It was too uncomfortable to assume that there could be any contacts between America and Africa at the dawn of civilization. The official theory did not mean them.

And if so, it means Olmek's heads are the images of local rulers, after the death of which, and manufactured such original memorial monuments. But Olmek's heads are really a unique phenomenon for ancient America. In the Olmek culture itself there are still similar analogies, i.e. Sculptural human heads. But unlike 17 "Negro" goals, they depict portraits of people of a typical American race, have smaller dimensions and are made in accordance with a completely different fine canon. In other cultures of ancient Mexico, there is nothing like that. In addition, you can ask a simple question: if these are images of local rulers, then why are there so few of them, if we speak in relation to the thousand-year history of Olmek civilization?

And how are you to be with the problem of disadvantages? What would not be approved by the theory dominating in the historical science, besides them there are also facts. In the Anthropological Museum of the city of Khalapa (Veracruz), an Olmek vessel is stored in the form of a sitting elephant.

It is considered proven that elephants in America disappeared with the end of the last glaciation, i.e. Approximately 12 thousand years ago. But Olmekam elephant was known, so much that he was even portrayed in figure ceramics. Either the elephants still lived in the era of Olmekov, which contradicts the data of Paleozoology, or Olmek masters were familiar with African elephants, which contradicts modern historical views. But the fact remains a fact, it can be, if you do not touch your hands, then see with my own eyes in the museum. Unfortunately, academic science diligently bypasses similar incomplete "little things." In addition, in the last century in different parts of Mexico, and on monuments with traces of the influence of Olmek civilization (Monte Alban, Tlatilko) were detected burials, the skeletons in which anthropologists were identified belonging to the Negroid race.

Giant Olmek heads ask researchers a lot of paradoxical issues. One of the heads of San Lorenzo has an inner tube connecting the ear and the mouth of the sculpture. As in the monolithic basalt aluminum, a height of 2.7 m could be done such a complex internal channel using primitive (not even metal) tools? Geologists, who studied Olmek's heads, found that basalt from which were made by the heads in La Venta, was taken from the Komolomolome in the Mountains of Tukstl, the distance to which, if measured in direct, is 90 kilometers. How the ancient Indians, even who did not know the wheels transported stone monolithic boulders weighing 10-20 tons of rough terrain. American archaeologists believe that Olmeki could use reed rafts, which, along with the cargo, were spiled along the river to the Mexican Bay, and basalt boulders were delivered to their city centers along the coast. But the distance from the Kamenolomene to the nearest river is approximately 40 km, and these are thick swampy jungle.

In some myths about the creation of the world, which have come down to this day from various Mexican peoples, the emergence of the first cities is associated with the aliens from the north. According to one of the versions, they sailed on boats from the north and landed at the Panuko River, then passed along the shore to the Potonchan's mouth at the mouth of Khalisco (the oldest center of Olmekov La Venta is located in the area. Here the aliens destroyed local giants and founded the first of the cultural center of Tamoanchan mentioned in the legends.

According to another myth, seven tribes came from the north to Mexican Highlands. Two people already lived here - Chichimeks and giants. Moreover, the giants inhabited land east of the modern Mexico City - the regions of Puebla and Chaulula. Both people led the barbaric lifestyle, mined food intake and eat raw meat. Aliens from the north expelled Chichek, and the giants were destroyed. Thus, according to the mythology of a number of Mexican peoples, the giants were predecessors of those who created the first civilizations in these territories. But they could not resist the aliens, and were destroyed. By the way, the same situation took place in the Middle East and it is described in detail in the Old Testament.

Mention of the race of the ancient giants preceding historical peoples, there are in many Mexican myths. So Aztecs believed that the land was inhabited by the giants in the era of the first sun. They called the ancient giants of Kinama or Kinamethin. Spanish Chronist Bernardo de Sahagun identified these ancient giants with Toltecs and believed that it was they who erected the giant pyramids in theoteouakan and Cholul.

Bernal Diaz, the Cortez expedition participant wrote in his book "Conquesting New Spain", that after the conquistadors entrenched in the city of Tlaskale (east of Mexico City, Puebla district), local Indians told them that in very long-standing people settled people in this area Huge growth and strength. But since they possessed a bad character and bad customs, the Indians destroyed them. In confirmation of his words, the residents of Tlaskala showed the Spaniards of the bone of ancient giant. Diaz writes that it was a femur and its length was equal to Diaz himself. Those. The growth of these giants more than three times exceeded the growth of an ordinary person.

In the book "Conquesting New Spain", he describes how the Indians told them that in the old days in these places people were settled by a huge growth, but the Indians did not come together with them with them and interrupted. Quote from the book:

"They also reported that before their arrival, the country was inhabited by giants, coarse and wild, which was either extinct or were destroyed. In proof, they showed the femoral bone of such a giant. Indeed, she was the size of full of my height, and I'm not small. And such bones were a fair amount; We were divided and horrified by such a breed of past times and samples shaped samples to send him to the Majesty to Spain. "

(Quote taken from the chapter "Friendship with Tlashkila".)

There was no point in to lie to the author, the cases were discussed much more important than long-term and not representing the dangers of giants, and it was said and it was shown this was an Indian between the case, as of granted. Yes, and the book is completely different. And if the modern TV channel can still be suspected in falsification of facts in order to raise the rating, then a person who promises 500 years ago to send "non-existent" gigantic human bones to the king, can only be suspected in idiochem. What, after reading his book, make it very difficult.
Traces of giants in this area and in the manuscripts of the Aztecs (Aztec Codes), who lived later in the same places, in the form of drawings, and in many Mexican myths were found.

Figure from aztec manuscript. Judging by the time how many people pull one big man, he is also very heavy. Maybe this head is captured in stone?

In addition, it can be seen from different sources that the ancient giants settled a certain territory, namely the eastern part of Central Mexico until the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is quite legitimate to suggest that the giant heads of Olmekov symbolized the victory over the racial giants and the winners erected these monuments in the centers of their cities in order to perpetuate the memory of the defeated predecessors. On the other hand, as such an assumption can be linked to the fact that all the gigantic heads of Olmekov have individual facial features?

Can those researchers who believe that gigantic heads were portraits of rulers? But the study of paradoxical phenomena is always complicated by the fact that such historical phenomena rarely fit into the system of familiar logic. That they are paradoxical. Moreover, myths, as well as any historical source are subject to influence, dictated by the current political consignment. Mexican myths were recorded by Spanish chronic in the XVI century. Information about the events that happened for tens of centuries to this time could be transformed several times. The image of giants could be perverted in favor of the winners. Why not allow the giants for some time rulers in Olmek cities? And why not assume also that this ancient people belong to the Negroid race?

The ancient Ossetian epic "Tale of Narts" is all penetrated the theme of the power of nation with giants. They were called Waiga. But, most interesting, they were called black Waigs. And although in the epic nowhere is not mentioned about the color of the skin of Caucasian giants, adjective "black", as applied to Waigs, is used in the epic as high-quality, and not as a figurative concept. Of course, such a comparison of the facts relating to the most ancient history so remote from each other of nations may seem too brave. But our knowledge of remote epochs is too scarce.

It remains only to recall the great poet A.S. Pushkin, who used the rich heritage of Russian folklore in his work. In Ruslana and Lyudmila, the main character is facing a giant's head, separately standing in a clean field and wins it. The same theme of victory over the ancient giants and the same image of a giant head. And such a coincidence cannot be a simple accident.

Graham Hancock in the book "Traces of Gods" writes: "The most stunning was that Sapotes Tres was not at all the city of Maya. It was completely, exclusively, undoubtedly, Olmeksky. This meant that it was Olmeki, not Maya, invented the calendar that it was the culture of Olmekov, and not Maya, is the "ancestor" of the cultures of Central America ... Olmeki is much more older than Maya. They were a skillful, civilized, technically developed people, and it was they who invented a calendar with dots and a dash, in which the beginning of the reference is the mysterious date on August 13, 3114 BC.

Most of the stone heads of Olmekov depicts a person with disadvantaged features. But 2000 years ago, there were no black Africans in the new world, the first of them appeared much later the conquists when the slave trade began. However, there is a firm testimony of Paleoanthropologists, which consisted of one of the migrations to the territory of the American continent during the last glacial period, people of the Negroid race really fell. This migration occurred about 15 thousand years BC.

San Lorenzo Olmeki poured an artificial hill with a height of more than 30 meters as part of a huge structure of 1200 meters long and 600 meters width. ArchaeologistMichael to OU During the excavations in 1966 made a number of finds, including over twenty artificial tanks associated with a very complex network of grooves lined with basalt. Part of this network was built into watershed. When this place was excavated, the water again began to flow from there with a stream in strong rains, as it happened for more than three thousand years. The main drainage line was from east to west. Three auxiliary lines were embedded into it, and the joints of the compounds were performed very competently from a technical point of view. Carefully examining the system, archaeologists were forced to recognize that they cannot understand the appointment of this complex system of water pipes and other hydraulic structures.

Olmeki still remain for archaeologists secret. It was not possible to detect any traces of the evolution of Olmekov, as if this people appeared nowhere. Nothing is known about the social organization, rituals and system of beliefs of Olmekov, in which language they talked to which ethnic group they belonged to, not a single skeleton of Olmekov was not preserved.

Maya received its inheritance calendar from Olmekov, who used them for a thousand years before Maya. But where did Olmeki come from? What is required by the level of technical and scientific development of civilization to develop such a calendar?published

As civilization, Olmeki originated about three thousand years ago. Archaeological finds will certainly be confirmed by their existence, however, scientists never solve the secrets of their origin, nor death. Olmeki lived on the modern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is believed that this Indian Empire was the earliest culture of Central America. The legends find confirmation that Olmeki was the progenitors of other meso-American civilizations.

Culture of ancient civilization

Translated from the Language of Maya, from the historical chronicles of which the name "Olmeki" was taken, literally means "residents of the country of rubber."

For several hundred years, this civilization has developed scientific knowledge. In existence, long enough, they were able to develop science to unprecedented heights. Its inventions belongs to the Calendar of Olmekov based on unique ideas about mathematics and astronomy. It was based on the cyclicality of the universe, including long epochs in 5,000 years, as well as knowledge of cycles and other planets, duration of day and year. He was a prototype of the famous Maya calendar, also interpreted astronomical phenomena. Unfortunately, there is practically no cultural richest and mythological heritage, whose crown is considered: Olmeki moved from worship by various tight animals to reveal the gods - human-like images that are the embodiment of the forces of nature.

Giant stone heads of people with disadvantaged facial features and weight of 30 tons each were discovered since 1930. They are made of monolithic basalts, they have perfect proportions, treated with the highest accuracy and have carefully derived facial features. Sculptures rest on the platform from raw stone layers. Scientists in the process of study came to the conclusion that the heads were carved about 1500 to our era, and, possibly earlier. Experts argue that these are images of idols, the memory of the great masters of the time that Olmek civilization was created. Olmeki was equal and followed by the established orders of further Indian tribes.

However, as already mentioned, there was no evidence of the evolution of this mysterious civilization: any drawings, records or just things. It suggests that this civilization appeared from nowhere to the fullest. Scientists are literally looking for grains and are trying to structure information about their social organization, mythology, rituals. Still, it was possible to find that Olmeki were agricultural, like all the later cultures of Ancient America, civilization. Also, the spheres of their activities were fishing and agriculture, which allowed them to flourish. Time and history mercilessly destroyed the Indian heritage. Neither the language nor the ethnicity of Olmekov, only hypotheses, is unknown. The same and studied architectural designs suggest that Olmeki was wonderful engineers.

Cult Jaguar

It is believed that it is representatives of this civilization that the jaguar was the first to worship. Later, this cult is found among other ancient civilizations both central and northern and south america. Jaguar was honored as a patron of agriculture, believing that he involuntarily contributed to the preservation of crops, scattering other animals preferring a plant diet. For the nationous peoples, this predator was considered the owner of the Universe, and accordingly, deified. The cult dedicated to this Supreme Divine has become an absolutely new mythological system. Olmeki all their gods represented in the image of Jaguar. This animal personified the strength, royality and independence, was fertility and natural phenomena and, that is important, was a conductor into the world, as he led a predominantly nightlife.

Olmeki themselves equated themselves to Jaguar, according to the legend of the Union of the Jaguar-Divine with the earthly woman. In gigantic sculptures, an image was captured in which the features of the fierce jaguar were present, so the features of a crying child.

There is a legend that has come down to this day about the appearance of the first jaguars. In one village there lived a woman and she had two sons. One of them was a good hunter, another - cunning and adventurous. So he made a fierce animal mask, painted it and began to hunt it. Then, bringing prey to the hut, took a mask and stitched the arrow in Tasha. Another brother decided to find out what the case is here. He traced and did everything the same thing, and then decided to go around the village, putting fear of its inhabitants. And then an incredible thing happened - the mask has grown to him. The hunter's brother came into rage and confused all the inhabitants of the village, except for her mother. She persuaded to go to live in the forest. This son became the source of other jaguars, which could sometimes turn into people and back. It was common and gods who ruled over people and jaguars - too.

Also, Jaguar-waswolf seemed to the deity of the rain, one of the most famous gods of the time. Shamans used the appearance of Jaguar in totems. It was believed that the totem symbolizes forests. Not all shamans obeyed such a totem. Only a strong and powerful shaman could transform in a ritual dance in the animal and had the opportunity to control it. Also, the shamans could heal the diseases, bring good luck on the hunt and the future to predict the future. Since the most thoughtful times, Jaguarov's people were simply afraid. A mysterious cult appeared associated with possible reincarnation, the followers of which brutally branded with a special needle, traces from it were similar to traces of animal claws.

In some way another legend was connected with Jaguar. In one of the tribes, a young unmarried girl became pregnant in a completely miraculous way. The elders of the tribe did not believe in a miracle and were looking for someone who should suffer punishment for seducing. However, the oldest and most important elder confirmed the wonderful conception from the heavens themselves - a lightning strike. All began to look forward to the birth of sacred children. But once the trouble happened, Jaguar attacked the girl and ruined her, but the children managed to be born, they fell into the river. Grandma Jaguarov, and it was she who found babies and raised them into the atonement for killed their mother. She called those extraordinary kids sun and. Children grew up and became the twin priests of the new tribe - Olmeki appeared.

Civilization has disappeared over time, its mythological images are absorbed by Maya - the next Great Civilization. They have Jaguar - the deity has become a patron of another war and hunting. The royal Mayan dynasties considered this animal with a sacred ancestor. The most popular names they had jaguar-cedar, Jaguar-night, Dark Jaguar. The leaders wearing the skins of jaguars, like the supreme power, and helmets in the form of this beast. Representatives of another powerful civilization - Aztec believed that the first of the four eras of the Universe was the Era of Jaguarov, the land of giants inept at that time. There were also temples dedicated to God-jaguar, whose spotted ski resembled the heavenly star pattern.

Olmekov's mythology were also other motives - the acquisition of Mais, here God is a benefactor of humanity, miners the grains of Mais hidden in the mountains. The motive about the confrontation of the old God with the Deity of Mais is developing.

Unfortunately, the theory that Olmeki is a structural civilization is not actually confirmed, but is the presentation of the guesses of specialists. But also by those few data that came to us in thousands of years, it can be assumed that this civilization did not disappear without a trace - her legacy was learned and absorbed by the subsequent great civilizations of Maya and Aztecs.

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Legendary civilization. Olmeca

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As civilization, Olmeki originated about three thousand years ago. Archaeological finds will certainly be confirmed by their existence, however, scientists never solve the secrets of their origin, nor death. Olmeki lived on the modern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is believed that this Indian Empire was the earliest culture of Central America. The legends find confirmation that Olmeki was the progenitors of others ...

Scientists suggest a civilization of Olmekov - the first civilization, which appeared in the territory of Mexico. It is even called the "maternal" civilization of Mexico. Like other ancient civilizations, this also appeared with its hieroglyphic writing and rather developed, and Olmeki well owned the art and architecture and they had their own accurate calendar.
Researchers say that the Civilization of Olmekov appeared in about the middle of the 2nd millennium BC, existed for about a thousand years, and after that was dissolved. Civilization simply disappeared without any traces.
Olmeki's name - people rubberThey received from modern scientists. As researchers say, they still do not know where Olmeki came from, in what language they spoke and for what reason they disappeared. One Indian legend says that they came to these edges from afar and accompanied their wise men. After the sages left them and left, and a simple population remained to live in the territory of Mexico. Settlements of Olmekov were mainly located in the coastal zones of the Gulf of Mexico. But the influence of the culture of Olmekov can be traced throughout Central Mexico.
This mysterious ancient civilization left behind large complexes for ceremonies with earthy pyramids. And all of them branched the system of irrigation canals and even urban quarters. And products from jade, which created Olmeki, are considered to be masterpieces of ancient American art. And their monumental sculpture simply amazes. It includes altari from multi-meter basalt and granite. They created sculptures into human growth. But so far the biggest mystery of the culture of Olmekov is considered huge stone heads. The first one was found in 1862 in La Venta and today they already have 17 pcs. All heads are cut out of solid basalt boulders. Their height reaches from 1.5 meters to 3.4 meters. But most often the height of such gigantic heads reaches two meters, and they weigh from 10 to 35 tons.
All stone heads depict the same person and are made in one style. On all heads heads, but they are all different. Most gigantic heads have earrings in the ears. The man depicted on all heads has characteristic of the pronounced features of the Nero-shaped race (chubby lips, big eyes, wide and stovered noses with large nostrils). And this is not suitable for residents of Ancient America. Some believe that Olmeki people from Africa.
Mysteriously also the fact that no whole skeleton of Olmek has not yet been found. They are not survived. Science explains this by the fact that there is a very wet climate. Civilization of Olmekov left us many mysteries. This is a vessel in the form of an elephant who sits. Although these animals are extinct in America with the end of the last glacial period. It happened about 12 thousand years ago. And this is contrary to science. Elephants could not live at Olmeca, or they saw them in Africa, which also contradicts all scientific research. Most scientists believe that Olmeki has roots much deeper than we imagine.
Culture Olmekov keeps another interesting riddle - toys in the form of dogs on wheels. But America did not know what the wheel is to the very era of Columbus.
But back to mysterious gigantic heads. The researchers found out that basalt for their manufacture was taken from a mantomolomanian, which are located in the mountains of Tukstl. And this is 90 kilometers (if you count in a straight line) from the location of the stone heads. And how the blocks of basalt were delivered through such a distance, it is not clear to anyone. There is an assumption that the stone is interposed with the help of rafts on the rivers of the Gulf of Mexican, and only then on land. But this is also unlikely.

Other researchers argue that these heads went to Olmecam from the previous civilization of the giants, which the aliens destroyed, according to Indian legend.
There is a version that states that the giants ruled Olmecs in their cities. And gigantic stone heads are their portraits. And it was these giants that represented a Negroid race.

"The most ancient and poorly studied Indian people of Central America are rightfully considered to be Olmeki. According to the majority of scientists, it is they who are the attachments of the following peoples of mesoames. Low finds, confirm that the first habitat of Olmekov was most likely the coast of the Mexican Gulf. As a single people, they formed 4-3 thousand years ago. The finds found by archaeologists confirm the reality of the existence of this ancient Indian people, but cannot tell about the origin of Olmekov and about the sudden disappearance from the Central America map. "

Until now, the cause of the sustainable death of the Great Ancient Civilization is unknown. The most real version is the invasion of new tribes from the West and further mixing with conquerors. Another version is a sharp jump in the population growth and the famine of hunger, which led to the death of the population. After himself, Olmeki left a rich cultural heritage, which adopted the following civilizations of mesoamerics. In their written sources, Aztecs and Maya have repeatedly mentioned their progenitor. Translated from Maya, Olmek means the "inhabitant of a rubber country." From the Aztec language translates as a "rubber man."

About public strict, life and classes of this ancient Indian people Central America There are rather meager information. Most scientists converge in the opinion that olmecahaving settled on the southern coast Mexican Gulf, in a short time they made a sharp jump in the development and to 1500 BC. Created in the territory of 3 states of modern Mexico (Veracruz, Tabasco and Germero) the state with the capital in La Venta. Other major cities were Tres-Sapotes (now the village) and San Lorenzo. All future archaeological finds related to the era olmekovwere found on the territory of these 3 cities. 800 BC There is a peak of them culture. End of Great civilization Comes in 400 BC.

Favorable location olmek Power In important trade routes, it contributed even greater flowing. There was a clear class staircase, starting with the Supreme Chief and the ending slave. Each representative of this stepped hierarchy took his fate. Therefore, contradictions and collisions between olmecami It did not happen. The main occupations of the population were agriculture and fisheries, grown by corn, manica Pumpkin beans Sweet potatoes and pepper. However, the most consumable food was maize. Beekeeping and breeding livestock and birds was developed. Housing guarded dogs. Already, olmeca They made from cocoa grains a favorite drink of today's defers. True, heavy pepper and other spices were added instead of sugar. A special value for the drink used his foam. It is believed that the word "cocoa" itself (" kakawa") Has Olmek origin. As with subsequent civilizations, olmecam The potter's circle, wheel and plow agriculture were not familiar. However, without these inventions of humanity, they made magnificent products from ceramics and clay, were beautiful stone sharpbers. Excellent architects and sculptors were distinguished from their environment. Confirmation The latter is detected in 1862 by H. Melgar near the village Tres Sapotes(Veracruz State) sculpture large stone head. This random find has begun to further explore the Great civilization Central America. Since 1930, the archaeological group led by the American researcher Matthew Stirling, proceeds to executives in the territory of the Mexican states Veracruz, Tabasco And Guerrero. Local Indians joined them as workers. Excavations continued until the beginning of the 1960s. Today there are another 16 copies of these wonders of Olmek art: 10 of them in San Lorenzo, 4 in La Venta, 2 in Tres Sapotes And one of the ranch of Cobat. All stone heads are engraved from large slices of basalts. Persons and headdress of each instance differ from each other. Eyes at the head of Ranch Kobat. Closed, the rest are open. The smallest find is 1.5 m high, and the largest is more than 3 meters. Weight depending on the size of the sculptures varies from 10 to 35 tons. Persons in all stone heads have african traitsthat forced some scientists to put forward the hypothesis about the transferred to New World blacks. However, this assumption did not have evidence and quickly dropped. The accurate age of findings is also not defined, but it is just known that every head engraved and delivered to the place of universal review in a separate period of time. Mystery The method remains due to which olmeca Transported multi-torque sculptures. After all, this Indian people were not familiar with the wheel. Some scientists believe that huge pieces of basalt were mined in a mountain range Las Toustlas., they laid on the vozwa, delivered to the river, and from there on large rafts went to the destination. The rest of the work was behind the strip of stone. Found in 1967 in San Lorenzo, underground The basalt pipes of the U-shaped form, of which the water flowed out, allowed the expedition to Matthew Stirling to make a unique opening. Already then, 3 thousand years ago olmek masters The first water supply system was created.

Another miracle olmek art Stel-vertically installed basalt plates depicting a specific scene and characters. Most of them are found in La Venta and Tres Sapotes. The person depicted on the plates is richly dressed. Most likely, these were representatives of the highest layer of Olmekov. Some steles are located at a great distance, other groups at the foot pyramids. Pyramids were found in each city, but the large pyramid in the center of La Venta is the greatest interest. This construction of a height of about 33 meters is constructed from clay and top covered with a solution from lime. From afar resembling a small volcano. At the top there was a platform where the sacrificial temple was most likely. For nobility, a mosaic yard depicted with a sacred animal - jaguara. Among the smaller finds allocated various statuettes, masks, beads and necklaces, made mainly from Jadeite. Symbol of knowing olmekovAnd then in other civilizations of Central America was jade. Decorations from this mineral put in the tomb of leaders and his relatives.

On religious ideas olmekov There is very little information. It is just known that they were the first Indian people who worshiped Jaguar. Almost all the deities were depicted with his head of this predator. The image of this feline is found on some steles. Olmeca considered themselves the fruit of love of the death woman and jaguara. This predator was a symbol of masculinity for them. Jaguar, read as a patron of agriculture and defender of the entire territory of their powers. The rites of sacrifices were carried out by shamans who possessed and healing abilities. According to the presentation of the TRUE priese Could reincarnate in Jaguar.

About language and writing, as about ethnic origin olmekovIt is known even less. Found in the 40s. The 20th century plates with signs resembling the hieroglyphs of the ancient Egyptians, proves the presence of a letter from this Indian people. It's believed that mayan Could use some elements to create their own writing. Some signs of their shape resemble insects and plants. As a material for applying hieroglyphs The most commonly used wood and stone, and the second was used mainly during the solemn events. Writing decryption continues today. Important dates were denoted by dashes and points. Unfortunately, no information about language has no olmekov. It is only known that it was significantly different from the styles of communication of other Indian peoples of both American continents. American Linguist Terrence Kaufman, engaged in the study of the Meso American Indian dialects, in 1993 put forward the assumption that olmeca They spoke in a language close to the Mikha-Sokskaya group. However, this hypothesis did not meet supporters and the question of the origin of their language continues to be open.

Indian shamans possessed wide knowledge in the field of mathematics and astronomy. Conducting numerous calculations olmek Priese Invented another masterpiece-famous moon calendar, who served as the basis for the Mayan calendar. It was built on the basis of these shamans about the cyclicity of the universe. Each era lasted 5000 years, and then began a new era. Special attention was paid to the study of the moon and location star.

Thus, found in Tres-Sapotes, La Venta, San Lorenzo archaeological finds confirm the greatness olmek civilizationas the most ancient people of Central America. Their rich heritage (calendar, writing, rites and customs) took advantage of their heirs in Maya and aztec. Despite the discovered exhibits, Olmeki continue to be a mystery civilization and some sections still require careful study by scientists. The main problem is the decryption of writing, which can give answers to many questions and first of all about their ethnic origin and secrets their sudden disappearance.

Decline Olmekov

The exact reason for the decline of the olmek civilization is not clear. Perhaps this happened due to military damage, cultural depletion, and maybe due to the environmental disaster. However, evidence is evidenced rather about the violent end. It is known that the culture of Olmekov and their technology were borrowed by the peoples in Mesoamerica and South America. The most famous technology of Olmekov, which other was adopted, was the construction of buildings and structures, especially the pyramids. The pyramids were built by increasingly basic American civilizations of American Indians (south of the USA). Ceramics and metallurgy are also an important contribution of Olmekov to the development of the peoples of America.

The buildings of Olmekov did not differ in complex forms, like later tribes, but were massive and peculiar. You can highlight a few features of the architecture of the first American tribe. The basis of ancient temples was either a square or a rectangle. By themselves, these structures were represented by the pyramid.

It is assumed that the buildings of such a form are easier to construct than, for example, cubic, they are obtained above and more stable. Unlike Egyptian pyramids, meso-American (and the architectural style of Olmekov took over all the tribes of Central America) were built with stairs leading from the foot to the temple located on the top (usually with two rooms). If the construction was large, not two were raised to the top, but four stairs - on all sides of the pyramid. The second type of buildings are the so-called palaces that were more likely to know residential houses. These buildings were also on small elevations, and was divided into several narrow and elongated premises. The main totem animal of Olmekov - Jaguar (according to legend, this tribe happened from the Union of the Divine Jaguar and the mortal woman), which is confirmed by numerous finds of archaeologists, both sculptural and architectural.

Amazing archaeological finds.

One of the centers of Olmek culture - the city of San Andres, which was approximately 5 km north-east of La Venta (now part of the city of Villahermos). During the excavations, they found an amazing find that the date of the first writing in mesoamer was found at least 300 years, is a cylinder from ceramics, with hieroglyphs depicted on sides. It was used as an instrument for a letter. The stone heads of Olmekov, unfortunately, are not so known as the statues of Easter Island, nevertheless, they are also striking, first of all by their monumentality (their weight is about 30 tons, in the circumference - 7 m, height - 2.5 m) and realistic . You can select some more notable and large Olmek cities: it is San Lorenzo, Las Limas, Lagunade-Los Serros and Llano de Hicaro (they found the ruins of the workshop for the processing of basalts). Among other finds it is worth highlighting sensational children's toys. The fact is that many of them are depicting various animals on wheels, and for a long time it was believed that the population of Decolumbovy America was not familiar with the wheels!

San Lorenzo is one of the first cities of America.

The most famous and first main city of Olmekov - San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo), which has existed for 500 years. Historians came to the conclusion that 5 thousand inhabitants lived here. Unfortunately, to see one of the first meso-American cities is quite difficult. From the once largest settlement of America, almost nothing remains due to the terrible weather conditions, the voracious time and inaction of the authorities, and the tourists are much more interesting than Maya and Aztec. However, on the territory of San Lorenzo (now this town is tenochtitlan) is the most ancient Pyramid of America, whose steps are decorated with a carved image of Bogayaguar. Also, detects of drainage systems, stone heads and a playground for a cult game were found here. The last structure was two running parallel inclined walls from stone. Directly the game happened downstairs, and the audience sat on the walls.

La Venta - an open-air museum.

The most well preserved and rich city of Olmekov is La Venta. San Lorenzo gradually comes in decline and 900 BC. e. The center of Culture Olmekov moves south. It is connected with conquering raids (the relationship between the tribes of Olmekov was by no means peaceful) and a change in the river bed, which was played in those times one of the defining roles. According to the river, the goods were delivered, water was given out to ensure the life of people and in it, among other things, caught fish, which, along with agriculture, was the main occupation of Olmekov. In La Venta, there is also a large accumulation of famous Olmek sculptures from stone - huge heads outwardly disadvantaged, which pursues on certain thoughts on the origin of this ancient people. The abundance of such finds is amazing, because there was not a single quarry near.

By the time of the flourishing of La Venta (starting with the IX century BC), complex mosaics begin to create in the city, new monumental sculptures are being built - steles and rich burials, created with the help of basalt columns delivered to each other. In these cameras found sarcophages, a variety of figures and decorations. Most of the finds transported to the Museum of the city of Villahermos (the capital of the Mexican State of Tabasco), in the park of La Venta - to the territory he held the ancient city.

Conclusion.

For a long time it was believed that Olmeki - the first civilization of mesoamerics - suddenly left their cities and disappeared into An unknown direction, "how through the land disappeared that the Baltic water." In fact, unlike the same eye, in the literal sense, the word left underground, Olmeki simply left the censes with a skilled terrain and began to move north, deep into the continent. The reasons for this could be drought, volcanic eruptions or other natural cataclysms, which led to the fact that the territory occupied by Olmeki became unsuitable for life. The reason for this, in turn, could be a change in the direction of the river bed or their complete disappearance, because the water in those days played a decisive role in the life of the population, especially on such a complex, climatic relation, as Central America (however, for Maya The lack of water was not an obstacle, but it will be told later).

Olmecam did not make much difficulty finding new territories suitable for the existence, since during their trading campaigns they have repeatedly visited the settlements of the neighboring tribes. The movement of Olmekov north led to a gradual assimilation of this original civilization with other Indian tribes. It should be noted that the history of Maya lasts almost in parallel with the existence of Olmekov (the first of the famous cities of the tribe - Queyo (Belize) - dates back to 2000 BC), but the Maja flourishing starts from the moment of the "disappearance" of Olmekov. From this you can make water that the latter, assimilated with other Indians, as it were, in exchange for the right to live in someone else's territory, they trained their former neighbors and trade partners to public, political, and enriched their culture with their skills. Principles of constructing society, writing, astronomy, mathematics is only a small part of the knowledge, the appearance of which Maya and subsequently other Indian tribes of America are obliged to Olmecam.