The Olmecs flourished on the Gulf Coast, creating works in stone and jade that had a profound influence on later cultures.
c. 1200–400 B.C.E.
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Olmec Colossal Heads
Carved in the likeness of faces, these megaliths reveal the importance of the head in Olmec culture.
The Lord of Las Limas
Incised symbols on the Lord of Las Limas hint at the spiritual significance of this ancient Olmec sculpture.
Olmec Jade
Jade was a prized material for the Olmec, and their carving has been found throughout Mesoamerica and beyond.
Olmec stone mask
Dress for the job you want, not the one you have: could this mask pendant turn its wearer into a god?
Olmec figurine
Olmec figurines are known for their baby faces, as well as a mixture of feline and human traits.
Offering #4, La Venta
These seventeen baby-faced figures may have represented a priestly ritual, a sacrifice, or a procession.
Olmec mask
This face has a naturalistic quality to its skin, but its mouth gives us pause—what does it mean?
Olmec mask (offering 20 from the Templo Mayor)
This was buried in an offering at an Aztec temple, some 1500 years later and far from where it was made.
