Art & Architecture
Culture
Food & Society
Geography
History
100
What is the name of these impressive sculptures carved by the Olmec?
Colossal Heads
100
What is the meaning of the word "Olmec"?
inhabitant of the rubber country
100
What was a likely source of early Olmec food?
hunting and fishing
100
Name two of the most significant Olmec sites.
San Lorenzo and La Venta
100
During which period of Mesoamerican history did the Olmec emerge?
Pre-Classic
200
What material are the colossal heads made out of?
Basalt
200
What animal was central to Olmec culture?
jaguar
200
Name a staple crop for the Olmec.
maize
200
The Olmec civilization was located in which modern-day country?
Mexico
200
The Olmec practiced ________ as part of their religious rituals.
sacrifice
300
The first pyramids were built in what Olmec site?
La Venta
300
Name two cultures that were influenced by the Olmec.
Maya, Zapotec, Totonac, Aztec, Toltec (any two)
300
Which group of people had the least amount of power in Olmec society?
workers and farmers
300
Where did the Olmec civilization settle?
On the Gulf Coast of Mexico
300
The Olmec society emerged in around what year?
1200 BCE
400
Who did the colossal heads depict?
Probably powerful rulers of the time
400
The Mesoamerican ball game required players to hit a ___ pound ball with only their _____ through a stone hoop that was __ feet wide and __ feet high.
9, hips, 3, 20
400
Which group had the most power in Olmec society?
rulers
400
What modern-day Mexican states were home to major Olmec centers?
Veracruz and Tabasco
400
What happened to the Olmec civilization around 400 B.C.E.?
It disappeared
500
How many of the colossal heads have been found by archeaologists?
17
500
How did the Olmec civilization primarily impact other cultures?
Through the influence of their art, architecture, and culture.
500
How did the living conditions of the upper class differ from those of the lower class in Olmec society?
The upper class lived in more elaborate stone structures and wore fine clothes and jewelry, while the lower class lived in simpler houses made of wood or mud.
500
What two geographic features played a key role in the development of Olmec civilization?
rivers
fertile soil
500
What does it mean to say the Olmec were an "archaeological culture"?
Their society is primarily understood through the study of artifacts