Colossal Civilizations

The 59 minute video, entitled “Lost Kingdoms of Central America” provides an in-depth look into the Olmec civilization that thrived in Mexico. The host, Jago Cooper, gives detailed explanations throughout the video that help deepen viewers’ understanding of the society. In addition to the video, the supplementary article, “La Venta”, written by Rebecca Gonzalez Lauck, which is from Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia, provides more information covering the archaeological site known as La Venta. In the video, Cooper travels through the areas in which these ancient civilizations once resided and thrived. He points out the significance of their art, the Colossal Olmec Heads, stating that “...they’re three-dimensional representations of individuals” (Lost, 11:38-11:45). In addition to their art, he explains the importance of maize in Olmec culture. In the article, Gonzalez Lauck writes about the environment in which the civilization existed, as well as architecture that they created. On page two of the article, Gonzalez Lauck states that “most of La Venta’s edifices have not been subject to archaeological excavation, [therefore] making it difficult to know their precise functions” (Gonzalez Lauck, 799).

Map of Olmec civilization and surrounding areas

    The two sources are similar in the sense that they both provide new perspectives on the Olmec society. Since the civilization is so ancient, it is quite difficult to uncover new information regarding it- and when it is, knowing how to interpret it poses an additional challenge. Both the video and the article talk about the unique features of the archaeological sites and environment. In the video, Cooper states “Archaeologists have discovered that in 1200 B.C., [a] plateau, which rises 20 meters out of the wetlands, was at the center of the earliest Olmec settlement- it’s called San Lorenzo” (Lost, 8:36-8:48). This feature in particular stands out because it towers over the rest of the site. On page one of the article, Gonzalez Lauck writes about La Venta’s weather and its significance, stating that its “...climate is humid tropical… with a mean temperature of 27º C” (Gonzalez Lauck, 798). This is because it is surrounded by “lowlands less than 10 meters above sea level, which form part of Mexico’s largest alluvial coastal plain” (Gonzalez Lauck, 798). Despite the similarities in the topics covered, the article and video differ because the video provides more detailed visual explanations that the article simply can’t. The article is also much shorter, and therefore provides less information than the video, which is helpful depending on what material you are looking for.

While watching the video and comparing the article, I was able to pick up some new information regarding the ancient Olmec civilization. The video stated that “No other emerging civilizations in Mesoamerica had an elite class as privileged as the Olmec rulers. And they made their mark on society in a very striking way” (Lost, 11:00-11:05).

Colossal Olmec head in San Lorenzo

I was surprised to learn that no other civilization of that time had a class system that worked in the same way the Olmecs’ did. This new information brings up many questions for me and makes me curious as to how other civilizations viewed the class system. From the article, I was able to learn more about the ceremonies in Olmec culture. On page three of the article, it states that “One of the most remarkable offerings excavated in [a] precinct consisted of a group of sixteen figurines and reworked votive celts, carved in jade, serpentine, and sandstone” (Gonzalez Lauck, 800). It was amazing to read about how their offerings were carefully placed in order to create a specific scene that was significant to them. While learning more about this civilization, I was also able to strengthen my understanding of some information I previously learned about. From the video that we were previously assigned, “The Colossal Olmecs”, which features Dr. Sara Ladron, I already knew that the Olmecs took great pride in their art and worked to perfect the colossal heads they created. In the video, Cooper states that “The way they’re carved using stone tools displays an exquisite level of craftsmanship” (Lost, 11:52-12:01), which reinforces the idea that they utilized a great level of care when creating the heads and incorporated their advanced technology into their artwork. 

Olmec Art

Works Cited:

BBC.Lost.kingdoms.of.central.america.1of4 ... - youtube. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuab0SNuPA.

Colossal Olmecs - YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdBRvvjKHmg.

Gonzalez Lauck, Rebecca. “La Venta.” Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia, by Susan Toby Evans and David L. Webster, Taylor and Francis, 2013.