Olmecs Timeline - Timeline

The Olmec Period which saw the rise of the Olmec culture's work in stone, first major cities appear.

The Olmec civilization springs from the grouping of ancient villages along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

San Lorenzo becomes the great ceremonial centre of the Olmec civilization.

The Olmec civilization flourishes in Mesoamerica.

The centre of San Lorenzo is detroyed and monuments are defaced. La Venta becomes the Olmec capital.

La Venta is destroyed, monuments are defaced and the Olmec civilization ends.

Initial Formative

Early Formative

Middle Formative

Late Formative

In 2006 Mexican archeologists discovered a stone block in Veracruz state inscribed with 62 distinct signs that dated to about this time. The Cascajal stone was attributed to the Olmecs, who civilization lasted from about 1200BC-400BC.

This time frame is referred to as the Late Olmec Period of southern Mexico, which featured pyramids for the first time in ceremonial centers. La Venta, the 2nd major Olmec capital dates to this period.

Zazacatla in central Mexico covered less than one square mile between during this period. Inhabitants of Zazacatla adopted Olmec styles when they changed from a simple, egalitarian society to a more complex, hierarchical one. Much of it was later covered by housing and commercial development extending from Cuernavaca.

It was reported that scientists in Guatemala had found the source of jade deposits used by the Olmecs and Mayans.

A court to play ulama was built about this time in Chiapas, Mexico. Olmecs used latex balls for the game. The Olmecs processed rubber using latex from rubber trees mixed with juice from the morning glory vine. The rubber was used to make a bouncy ball for their ball games.

The Olmecs, who called themselves Xi, were the earliest known civilization of Mesoamerica. They influenced the subsequent civilizations of the Maya and Aztec. They inhabited the Gulf Coast region of what is now Mexico and Central America. Their capital was San Lorenzo, near the present day city of Verazcruz.

This time frame is referred to as the Initial Olmec Period of southern Mexico.

This time frame is referred to as the Early Olmec Period of southern Mexico.

The settlement at Canton Corralito on the southern Mexico-Guatemala border covered at least 60 acres by this time and was believed to be a colony of the Gulf Olmec people. About this time the nearby Coatan River began to rise and engulfed the settlement.