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The two civilizations were isolated for 15000 years, with
this they faced many challenges. They faced
environmental challenges such as polar extremes, high
mountain ranges, deserts, and prairies. These were
difficult to work with and these factors make it hard to find
food. But they also had woodlands and tropical rain
forests which provided a lot of food like wild game and
plants. It also affected their social lives, and there was very
little trade between the two regions (the only ones
around.) They also needed many people. They developed
irrigation and drainage systems which caused many
people to work. Both civilizations also needed housing for
the people and housing for the upper class and elite.
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In Olmec culture, fine art was used to distinguish
rulers and help them keep power. The houses of the
elite were decorated with finely crafted objects and
art to separate them from commoners who lived in
houses made of sticks and mud. Also, large stone
heads were crafted to represent the elites authority,
some reaching 11 feet tall. Each head was suggestive
to individual personality and they were located near
urban centers suggesting that each represented an
individual elite or person. That is why art represented
power and helped rulers keep their power.
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Natural Environment influenced their cultural
development in a couple of ways . First the
challenges of jungles and arid costal plains
caused specialized production based on
region. Also, living on the coast made it
possible for them to trade fish and decorative
shells. They also domesticated the Llama.
These are only a couple of ways the Natural
Environment played an important role is the
development of their culture.
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The focus of the Olmec religion is around
agriculture. Since most people were farmers,
shamans and healers provided practical
advice about the periodic rains essential to
agricultural life. Religion helped keep the
rulers in control by convincing people that he
is associated with the goods. They did this
through bloodletting and human sacrifice.
Their gods took animal form – in particular
the Jaguar
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They were the only domesticated animals
that were able to carry heavy loads. They
were very important for transporting goods
in the Andean region and for expanding
trade. They also provided meat and wool for
the people.
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The creation of metallurgy inn the Chavin culture is similar to China and
Mesopotamia because of it represented advances in technology, such as the
bronze making processes of Shang China and of Mesopotamia. It shows that
they had developed their cultures to the point that they could spend time making
beautiful decorations or useful tools, and not having to worry about how to get
food. Metal development also shows an increase in trade efficiency and use, as
metal workers needed materials from different places, and could ship their goods
elsewhere. Metals were also used in religious ceremonies, as with the Shang’s
bronze vessels, the Chavin used their metals in sculptures and other things, which
in turn added to the reputation and prestige of their culture. Metal/metallurgy
represents advances in technology in early civilizations. Since there materials
were more durable and more interesting looking than stone, people revered
them in almost a god-like way. They used these metals in religious ceremonies
and had spiritual value. Metals, especially alloys like bronze, were more durable
than stone which then increased fighting power and efficiency. Overall, metal
making was important to early civilizations.
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The different geological challenges that he Olmec civilization faced
compared to other early civilizations are responsible for how they
progresses economically and expanded. The geologic feature that had
the largest impact on the Olmec civilization was the fact that it was not a
river valley civilization. Therefore they did not depend on the flooding of
rivers to bring fertile soil to their farmlands. Another differing detail that
the Olmec people had was that their region was heavily active
geologically. As a result from this activity, there were frequent
earthquakes and volcanoes. Another outcome of this seismic activity are
the mountains that break the region into may natural environments.
These segregations of the environments made it so that different tribes
of the Olmec had to live differently. For example, some tribes may have
lived by the gulf of Mexico instead of farming for their food they would
instead create rafts to go out and fish, while tribes that lived inland
would have to farm and hunt for food. In comparison to the Olmec, all
the river valley’s environments were the same and there were not as
many dramatic differences between the regions.