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Olmec Culture

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Have you ever seen ancient ruins before? The Olmec ruins may be one of the best to visit! These ancient ruins are located in southern Mexico and into Guatemala, specifically between the coordinates of 16˚N and 91˚E. This ancient civilization was unbelievably artistic, making unique sculptures of heads and masks. An interesting mystery today is their name, Olmec, which means, “Rubber People.” The best place to go on vacation is the ancient ruins of the Olmec civilization. Olmec traditions still exist in today’s world. A significant Olmec tradition that is still around today is called Polytheistic. Which means they believe in more than one god. Some of the gods are Olmec Dragon (God I),Maize deity (God II),Rain Spirit and Were-jaguar (God IV). …show more content…

A very popular Olmec tradition practiced today is creating sculptures. In ancient times the colossal head sculptures were created of important people in that civilization. The most famous are giant head sculptures which are the most popular tourist attractions in that region. The Olmec civilization mysteriously disappeared and historians are not quite sure why the civilization vanished. In comparison, the Aztec civilization existed in central Mexico, specifically between the coordinates of 36.8222 N and 107.9928 W. Their most famous city was known as Tenochtitlan, which we know as Mexico City today. The Aztec civilization was famous for human sacrifices. The Aztecs believed they owed everything to their gods so they would have good crops, weather or whatever they prayed for. These sacrifices took place on top of temples which stand tall so the people would be closer to the gods. Today the Aztec temples are the most popular tourist attraction in the Aztec region. Although all ancient civilizations are beautiful and full of history, they are different tourist attractions. For example the Olmec ruins are less popular with fewer visitors but the sculptures are worth seeing. Unlike the other, more famous ruins that would be crowded, the Olmec would be a great vacation to learn about the history. The Olmec ruins are very intriguing and worth

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Olmec colossal heads have been found at La Venta, San Lorenzo, and Tres Zapotes. Despite they were each carved out of a basalt boulder and weigh 8 tons on average, they were hauled for miles through water and across land. No one knows for sure how they were transported, but some believe that the Olmec people used log rollers and balsa rafts to carry the giant heads. They are one of the most mysterious artifacts in the ancient world, but the most believed theory about the Olmec colossal heads is that because of their intricate features, and all the work that was put into making one, they represented Olmec rulers. Another theory is that the heads with helmets were the well-known ball players.

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