Giant Olmec Stone Head

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The colossal heads are stunning stone replicas of human faces carved from massive basalt rocks. These monumental sculptures date back at least 900 BC and are a hallmark of the ancient Mesoamerican civilization of the Olmecs.[1] Each head depicts an adult with plump cheeks, flat noses, and slightly crossed eyes; their physical features resemble those commonly found among people living in Tabasco and Veracruz today. The backs of these massive stones are usually flat. The boulders were quarried from the rugged Sierra de los Tuxtlas mountains in Veracruz, a feat that required an enormous amount of human labor and resources, given the enormous size of the stones used in their construction. It is believed that these monumental sculptures represent lifelike portraits of powerful Olmec leaders.