CH 12: Archaeology Excerpt
Riddle of the Olmec Heads
By Peter King
Words to know:
In 1858, inhabitants of the village of Tres Zapotes in the state of Veracruz on the Gulf
 Superstitious: A fear of the
Coast of Mexico were digging when they encountered a stone object. Removing more
unknown or mysterious.
 Prehistoric: Prior to
European contact.
 Speculate: To think or
wonder about.
soil, they found to their astonishment that it had a polished, curved surface. They dug
further and realized that they were uncovering what appeared to be the head of an
immense stone statue. Superstitiously afraid of what they might reveal if they
continued, they shoveled the earth back over their find and it remained hidden for the
best part of a century.
The discovery at Tres Zapotes was kept silent until 1938, when two
American archaeologists began an excavation in the area. The
archaeologists were interested in sites where prehistoric Central
American civilizations may have interacted, and Tres Zapotes emerged
as a prime possible site. In Tres Zapotes, they encountered a swampy
terrain, continual rain, waist-deep mud, tarantulas, snakes and insects.
Despite these terrible conditions, during their four months in Tres
Zapotes they made several remarkable discoveries. Stone tablets
were excavated. These tablets proved to bear the oldest
recorded date discovered in the New World up to: 31
B.C. . A religious figurine and fifteen U-shaped stone
sculptures were also discovered.
The most striking of all the discoveries was made thanks
to the help of a local, who shared a folktale with the
archaeologists. Fear of the ancient stone head found in the
1850’s became local folklore, and preserved the location
of the head. As a result, the archaeological team was able
to unearthed one of the most famous objects ever
discovered on the American continent.
Continued on page 2
Measuring six feet high and weighing over ten tons, the head was made from basalt, a hard, volcanic rock with an
almost glassy appearance. It was promptly named ‘La Cabeza Colosal’, the Giant Head. More gigantic stone heads
have since been found, and to date, the total is seventeen. The statues range from 5 to 11 feet in height, weigh 8 to
12 tons and all are carved in painstaking detail from basalt. Some of the heads excavated have what may be a crown
or a helmet. Many believe the crown signifies that the head is that of a ruler. Debate and discussion continue today
on how they were carved. It is speculated that the tools they used must have been of a stone only a little harder
than the basalt of the figure, making the work incredibly lengthy and tedious.
The culture unearthed at Tres Zapatoes was termed the Olmec, and its discovery has changed the world’s
conception of Central America. It is now believed that the Olmec were the first culture to thrive in Central
America. As the ‘mother culture’, Olmec is believed to be the root civilization of the Maya and the Aztecs, and has
influenced both cultures greatly.
Five hundred years before Rome was founded and as far back as the Trojan Wars, the Olmec were building great
cities and erecting pyramids bigger than those to be built later in Egypt. They were trading throughout Central
America, even as far as Guatemala. From simple villages, their world had developed into a complex society governed
by kings, shaped by strong religious beliefs and with ceremonial centers, sports arenas and many examples of
artwork.
Today, it is believed that the Olmec were direct descendants of Middle America’s hunter-gatherer groups. The
Olmec farmed corn and sustained their diet with hunting and fishing. They were builders, and built aqueducts to
bring drinking water and provide drainage systems to towns.
The role they played in shaping the destiny of Central America is still being unraveled. Many aspects of the Olmec
life remains a mystery to this day and one of the most mysterious is, without doubt, the Giant Heads.
Reader Response Questions: Answer each question in full sentenc es on a
separate sheet of paper.
1 . Wh er e w as th e f i rs t st on e h ead d i s co v er e d? How la rg e wa s i t?
2 . H o w m an y h a v e b e en f ou n d s in c e th e f ir st?
3 . Wh at ar e th e st on e h e ad s car ve d ou t o f?
4 . How i s O l m e c c i v i l i zat i on de s c r ib e d?
5 . C om p ar e th e O l m e c ci v i l i zati on t o an o th e r c i v i l i zat i on th at w e ’ ve stu d ie d–
E x am in e s i m i lar it i e s an d d if f ere n c es (t- c h ar t or oth e r c om p ar i son ch art s ar e
w e l co m e ).