The Olmec were a society in the Veracruz and Tabasco area of Mexico between 1400 and 1200 BC. They carved the giant heads. They had a writing system. They did not build big cities.
The Zapotec were a society in the Oaxaca region of Mexico from 400 BC to 200 AD. Like the Olmec, they had human sacrifice. They had hieroglyphics.
The Mayans were around from 2000 BC to 250 AD. in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras. They practiced human sacrifice and played games with rubber balls.
They were both like mother cultures for civilizations that came after them.
The Olmecs are considered the "mother culture" of Mexico. They are the first known organized tribe in Mexico, and their major contributions to history were their ritual ballgame, and their gigantic stone heads, which are believed to represent leaders.
Ancient Mexican civilizations included the Olmec's, Zapotecs, Toltec's, Inca, Maya and Aztecs. All of the ancient Mexican cultures are believed to be descended from people who crossed the Bering Strait.
The principle is self-determination.
By the early 1200s BC the Olmec were living along coastal rivers in villages of small houses made of reeds and straw. People fished in the rivers and farmed land made fertile by river flooding.
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Maya and Olmec
Olmec was the "mother" culture of Mesoamerica. Many aspects of their culture such as gods, glyphic writing and artistic forms became parts of later civilizations such as the Maya and Aztecs.
Some aspects of Olmec culture that influenced Maya and Aztec civilizations include complex ceremonial centers, the importance of maize in their economies, and the use of hieroglyphic writing systems. Additionally, the Olmec likely influenced the development of calendars, religious beliefs, and artistic styles in these later Mesoamerican cultures.
Aspects of Olmec culture and religion influenced later Mesoamerican civilizations such as Zapotec and the Maya. :)
Maya, olmec, Aztec and incas
Yes, the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec are distinct Mesoamerican cultures with unique characteristics. The Olmec, often considered the "Mother Culture" of Mesoamerica, thrived from around 1400 to 400 BCE and is known for their monumental stone heads. The Maya civilization, which developed later, from around 2000 BCE to the Spanish conquest, is renowned for its advanced writing system, mathematics, and astronomical knowledge. The Aztec Empire emerged in the 14th century and is famous for its expansive empire, intricate society, and monumental architecture, particularly in Tenochtitlán.
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Maya
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