Olmec Heartland

Overview

The Olmecs or Olmec were an early major Mesoamerican civilization, flourishing in the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco from roughly 1200 to 400 BC during Mesoamerica's formative period. They were initially centered at the site of their development in San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, but moved to La Venta in the 10th century BC following the decline of San Lorenzo. By about 400 BC the major centres of the Olmec civilization had been abandoned, and the population of the eastern half of the Olmec heartland dropped precipitously. The settlement density in that area remained much lower than during the height of Olmec dominance, and only intermittent occupation is evident until much later. Although the Olmec cultural style waned, elements of their tradition lived on in successor societies.

Wikipedia: Olmecs·CC BY-SA 4.0

Borders & accuracy

An archaeological culture; extent is defined by where its material remains have been found rather than by political control.

• SOURCEaourednik / historical-basemaps
• DETAILhistorical-basemaps:-500:Olmec
• SNAPSHOT500 BCE
• MATCHEDOlmec
• POLITY TYPEculture

Also during this period

No conflict record yet names this polity as a belligerent; these overlap its dates only.

• Warring States Period (China)475–221 BCE
  World-changing · 1.0M dead
• Greco-Persian Wars499–449 BCE
  World-changing · 100K dead
• Peloponnesian War431–404 BCE
  World-changing · 100K dead
• Battle of Salamis480 BCE
  World-changing · 50K dead
• Battle of Marathon490 BCE
  World-changing · 13K dead
• Battle of Kadesh1274 BCE
  World-changing · 10K dead