The daily life of the Olmecs was based on religious practices, food cultivation, family life and a section of the population devoted to art and architecture.
The mysterious Olmec civilization flourished in pre-Classic Mesoamerica from 1200 BC. C. until 400 a. And is considered the forerunner of all subsequent Mesoamerican cultures, such as the mayas Y Aztecs .
Olmec head found in San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán.
It was located in the Gulf of Mexico (now the Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco) and its influence and commercial activity extended from 1200 a. C., reaching even to the south of Nicaragua.
Monumental sacred sites, massive stone sculptures, ball games, chocolatiers and animal gods were traces of the Olmec culture that would be transmitted to all who followed this first great Mesoamerican civilization. (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, s.f.)
Religion
As with other areas of Olmec culture, the details of their religion are unclear.
The Olmec seem to have had a particular reverence for the natural places that were related to the important junctions of heaven, earth and the underworld.
For example, caves could lead to the underworld, and mountains with both springs and caves could offer access to the three planes (Cartwright, 2013).
Feeding
The Olmecs practiced basic agriculture using the technique of"felling and burning", in which overexploited land parcels were burned. This cleans them to plant them and the ashes act as fertilizers.
They planted many of the same crops that are seen in the region today, such as squash, beans, cassava, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.
Corn was a olmec diet basic food , although it is possible that it was introduced late in the development of its cultivation.
The Olmecs fished in nearby lakes and rivers, and clams, alligators, and various types of fish were an important part of their diet.
The Olmecs preferred to make settlements near the water, since the plains that were flooded were good for agriculture and the fish could be easier to obtain. For the meat, they had domestic dogs and occasionally deer.
A vital part of the Olmec diet was nixtamal, a special type of corn meal ground with sea shells, lime or ash, the addition of which greatly enhances the nutritive value of maize flour (Minster, 2017).
Architecture
The Olmec cities had ceremonial buildings or temples, which were typically mounds of land platforms, with structures similar to houses built on them. The Olmec cities also had aqueducts and drainage systems (RealHistory, s.f.).
Writing
At present several"glyphs"of Olmec sites have been discovered. This evidence leaves no doubt that the Olmecs were the first Mesoamericans to develop a writing system (Ancient Wisdom, s.f.).
Art
The most surprising legacy of the Olmec civilization must be the stone heads they produced.
They were carved in basalt and all show unique facial features so they can be considered portraits of royal rulers.
The heads can reach almost 3 meters in height and 8 tons in weight and the stone from which they were worked, in some cases, was transported 80km or more, presumably using huge rafts (Cartwright, 2013).