Wooden Busts

Olmec

Location: El Manati

1200 - 1000BC

Evidence of ceremonialism

Possibly the heads of staffs

Shows mastery of the human face, with cranial modification

Found with rubber balls, mats, animal and infant bones

The Wreslter

Olmec

Early Formative

Shows movement in upper body

Summary treatments of legs

Intended for viewing from all sides

Hero Twins

Early Formative

El Azuzul

Two figures are twins, facing a jaguar

Headdress of the rain god, not egyptian

Posted in front of a Jaguar figure

Preist with Serpent

Olmec

Middle Formative

La Venta

Man sitting in an awkward position

Serpent takes the shape of the stone's natural shape

Looks like it's protecting the man

Altar 5

Olmec

Middle Formative

La Venta

Figure emerging from niche holding a limp baby figure

On the side, 2 adults with ceremonial headdresses holding active babies with cranial modification

Concern with legitimate descent?

Offering 4

Middle Formative

La Venta

Jade made figurines

All have cranial modification

Recreation of ceremonial events

Jade figurines studying the one figuring made out of granite

Deity Mask

Middle Formative

Made of Jade

Crossed eyes

Careful incisions

Las Limas Figure

Middle Formative

Las Limas

Made of Greenstone

Smaller than life size

Young figure in posture of presentation

Holding an infant, face of Olmec rain deity

Unclear if hat or hairstyle

Kunz Axe

Formative

La Venta

Made of Jade

Shaped like an axe head, never used as an axe

Grasps a miniature version of himself

Half jaguar/human infant face

Colossal Heads

Early Formative

A head is 10ft tall and stand alone

Porjects nobility, portraits of rulers?

Made of basalt stone floated down rafts

Possible helmet on heads?

Ceramic Acrobatic Figure

Early Formative

Altar 4

Middle Formative

La Venta

Life comes out of the cave

Top is flat, like altar or throne for rule

Possible rule emerging out of cave, seated like harpy eagle, holding a rope with bound captives on the side