Similarities Between Mayans And Olmecs

Did you know that the Mayans were the ones to invent the complex calendar system, while the Olmecs were the ones to leave behind the colossal stone head? The Mayans and Olmecs are some of the greatest ancient civilizations in history. They have both created different and amazing innovations that now help us today. They are really similar but at the same time very different. The Mayans and Olmecs lived in different places, had other forms of government, and worshiped different gods. However, both believed that religion was significant and that they had to please their god or face trouble. Trade with others was also among the accomplishments that they both accomplished. The Mayans and Olmecs were similar as they both believed strongly in

It was believed that the Olmecs introduced writing into the world, and the Mayans, later on, continued with what the Olmecs started. They both used forms of hieroglyphic writings. In addition to their influence with contemporaneous Mesoamerican cultures, as the first civilization in Mesoamerica, the Olmecs are credited, or speculatively credited, with many "firsts", including the bloodletting and perhaps human sacrifice, writing, and epigraphy[...]. This evidence supports the claim that the Olmecs were one of the first civilizations to introduce writing into the world. Many buildings at Teotihuacan were decorated with murals, the majority of which depict religious events, particularly processions, but also scenes with details of landscape and architecture, particularly fountains and rivers. Scenes also feature gylphs, implying the existence of a writing system, albeit one far less varied and sophisticated than that used by the modern Maya. This evidence found in Mayan murals demonstrates that they did, in fact, have a writing system, although somewhat one far less sophisticated than that used by modern Mayans. It also demonstrates how the Olmecs and Mayans were similar because the Mayans adopted the Olmecs' writing system. They were similar because both used writing systems to develop and sophisticate their