Pottery Torso

myminifactory

Large, almost life-size, pottery figurines may have been strategically positioned as attendants or guardians right next to cult images within temples on Isla de Sacrificios. The figure on the right showcases filed teeth. Olmec culture reaches its pinnacle of expression in what is known as the Olmec heartland along Mexico's Gulf Coast. In this low-lying, riverine setting, well-planned political and ceremonial centers such as San Lorenzo, Tres Zapotes, Laguna de los Cerros and La Venta emerged during the late second millennium BC. These settlements featured public plazas, impressive earthen platform architecture, and massive stone sculptures of Olmec rulers. Archaeologists have also uncovered evidence of neighboring residential communities. Skilled artisans worked with jade that was brought into the region through extensive trade networks. The Olmec art style frequently depicts tropical forest creatures, including caimans, jaguars, and eagles, engraved on monuments and portable artifacts. Some objects were found as far away as the Valley of Mexico and the Pacific Coast. These images point to widely shared beliefs that recur in many later Mesoamerican traditions.