As scientists believe, ancient culture, which gave rise to all the others, was the Olmec civilization. Therefore, all people of pre-Columbian America is characterized by several common features: hieroglyphic writing, illustrated books, calendar, human sacrifice, ritual ball game, belief in life after death, stepped pyramids. In this unit response, I would like to describe three main cultures in Mesoamerica: Olmec, Maya and Aztec.
Despite occasional contenders for its title as the “Mother Culture” of Mesoamerica, the Olmec culture is still identified as the oldest sustained high civilization in Mesoamerica.( Mackenzie, 2000). For that time the Olmecs were the most developed nation in the cultural sense, therefore, were able to spread their cultural influence on the vast region of Mesoamerica. By the cultural achievements of the Olmecs should be attributed a well-developed architecture. For example, the city of La Venta, we see that it was built on a clear plan and oriented to the cardinal.
The stone head sculptures of the Olmec civilization of the Gulf Coast of Mexico (1200 BCE - 400 BCE) are amongst the most
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The culture of these tribes in the beginning did not have any well-defined features, but they gradually crystallized into a single solid entity - the Aztec civilization. Aztec culture differ in their priorities, it was dominated by religion and politics. The priests had almost complete authority over the people. People lives were controlled by laws based on religion. In religion, the main ritual was the sacrifice. Aztec gods were in constant enmity. The appearance of the gods were frightening and most of all the gods have had two entities: human and animal. This suggests a close connection with nature and also their strength and capabilities were the relationship with inanimate