Mysterious cultural leap from the Stone Age farmers to high culture
In: Legendary Times, No. 2, 2006 Beatenberg
Before about 3500 years (1), Central America was in the stage of a Neolithic period with hunter-gatherers, fishermen and farmers. While earlier on a different continent for great pyramids were built and a megalithic shone with astronomical equipment, we lived in Central America or in small villages, cultivated fields, drew on the hunt, fished in the rivers and gathered nuts and roots. The settlements were made of simple houses, which are built of clay, wood and straw. Man woven fabrics of cotton and vegetable fibers, wove baskets and mats and created a simple utility ceramics. Tools and weapons were made of stone, bone, wood or shells. For a long time been able to turn this stone age farmers also latex into a usable form of rubber (2). In all regions of Central America, these simple people were well adapted to the landscape and climate.
Cultural Revolution at the Olmecs
In that time there were apparently no religion in Central America. Gods? Heavenly being? Of these, apparently no one here had any idea. The only reference to a possible religion are the small ceramic figurines, mostly female figures representing, but all of them everyday with normal characteristics. These figurines may have played a role in fertility rites or in the sense of ancestor worship. But this is pure speculation. Just as well could these figurines have also shown quite simply art, as most in the range of everyday household were found (1 + 10).
was in those Stone Age farmers there - as far as we know today - not an elite, no ruler, no class differences (3). At most, there may have been village chiefs, or rather family head, because settlements can not, on average more than forty people as little more houses have large families.
All in all, a primitive culture, perfectly adapted to country and climate. There was no reason to modify this recipe slightly. It would have been expected that had evolved over time, small improvements in house construction, in farming or for weapons and tools. All this would be slow, step by step so as has been expected from a "normal, decent culture." But instead happened
something quite different. It was something that the archeologist in Central America can still puzzled, though they have a name this long: they speak of a cultural leap. Now, a people not simply make a cultural leap, taking in several stages of development. But we know from our recent past, a cultural leap occurs where together representatives of a more developed culture with representatives of a primitive culture (4). But who or what should have caused so long ago in Central America such a cultural leap?
city planning
Ca. 1200 BC. While all around simple Stone Age farmers their usual daily Going about chores, broke in a place close to the rivers and Chiquito Coatzalcoalcos below the Gulf Coast bustle with activities such as Central America had never seen before. Someone here had gathered multitudes of workers and this was a precisely pre-planned city built where nothing is left to chance. Even the point at which this city should be built, had previously been carefully chosen in such a way that one of her just from the sun on the day of the winter solstice on the volcano about 100 kilometers away Zempoaltepec saw go down in the distance. San Lorenzo was the first example of a recent first time recognized in Nagorno-sun-city combination, the after that should be considered in good thirty other cities (6).
The work began with the piling up of a huge artificial plateau, which should serve as the basis for the city. The soil of this plateau had to be brought basket for basket and carried it with pure muscle power, for carrying animals did not exist. For the plateau more than three million cubic meters of earth were hauled and processed, and sent to existing earthen structures built. The work was under strict control, hence this plateau was - as several archaeologists now suspect - the form of a giant bird (5). Is evident that this bird form for any of the workers had been, for no of urban residents and for no one would have on the foot or by water, those arriving, you can recognize this form if all of the above, from the sky.
But who supervised and controlled the masses of workers and closely observing this peculiar shape? The final plateau measured about 1.2 km in length and 700 meters in width. It projected last a good 50 meters into the air.
began after completion of the plateau of the real city planning. It was the first major platforms built of sand and clay, on which were then the simple houses built according to old patterns. The city - now named San Lorenzo - received public spaces, a - perhaps the very first - ball games, on the slopes of the plateau were more residential buildings on terraces down to the river valley. The entire city was so arranged that they are exactly oriented along a north-south running main axis (5 + 7).
The place was a system of stone aqueducts and twenty artificial symmetrical ponds, whose significance is still unclear. The water pipes were made of basalt rock components - that is the first time processed stone for building purposes. These components were long and rectangular with a U-shaped bulge, which were then bound together in fits and finally covered with well-built of basalt stone. The water supply system, could be recovered from the already 170 meters, led to several meters below the earth through various neighborhoods. But the main water line consisted of over 30 tons of basalt (5 + 7).
But who was the simple stone age farmers how to work stone, produces precisely fitting components and a complicated water system plans and port? Who supervised the work and the strict compliance of building plans? This worked so well that parts had remained intact today - pass after heavy rains the water - after more than 3000 years.
A very important aspect of this first Central American city, the numerous workshops. has in fact now Manufacture of certain things one, as they had never before been produced in Central America: monumental stone objects, a new type of ceramics, novel Keramikfigurinen and mysterious objects from iron ore.
excavated in the 1940s: colossal head in SanLorenzo
Almost everyone has already seen a photo with one of the Olmec colossal heads. So far, Seventeen of these heads were discovered and excavated, most in San Lorenzo, a few cities in the later (8). May have been all seventeen heads (more may still be undiscovered) in San Lorenzo already made, because more recent archaeological research showed that all these stone heads in one - seen archaeologically - short period of 100 to 150 years were prepared (7). Besides the colossal heads
huge square stone objects were produced, which were called by archaeologists lack of knowledge about their purpose as "altars" or "throne". Both - colossal heads and "Throne" - have been following the completion in such a way that they were part of the complicated layout of the city.
The master planner unsuspected their workers too much. The material, volcanic basalt rock had, from the distant Tuxtla Mountains brought in near the Gulf coast over a distance of about 100 kilometers. Today, with few modern Cranes are able to lift such burdens as these up to 44 tons (in finished state) heavy basalt stone blocks and transport, the archaeologists are still asking how this transport may have been effected at the time of San Lorenzo.
transport of a monumental object now and then:
right boosts a modern crane a colossal head,
left a speculative drawing of the transport of a "throne"
Were, as it is now known to place only rough-hewn stone blocks by huge teams transported along the Gulf Coast, then on rafts on Rivers continue to be related and yet last hoisted on the 50-meter-high plateau? How many people? With what tools? This transportation issue is still unresolved. The work involved in the transport and used only so far found more than 80 monuments San Lorenzo must have been enormous.
One of the "altars" or "throne" of San Lorenzo
How many monuments may still be awaiting discovery? San Lorenzo only a small part of the historical site was unearthed, are like all later Olmec cities not yet fully excavated. There is no final and accurate Overview of the buildings and monuments.
But these provide up to three meters wide colossal heads? Each head is wearing a helmet and individual characteristics. The speculations revolve around "Negroid traits or not," "Baby Faces" Portraits of people with Down syndrome features, gods heads, supernatural beings, ruler portraits and portraits of ball players (rubber ball idols, so to speak) (1 + 9).
As the ball game, one might speculate, given the fact that these people had long before the cultural leap rubber balls and probably took them with something that the unknown master planner and cultural leap initiators The battered laboring masses, perhaps with "bread and games" with the rod held.
unclear as is the importance of the colossal heads is the meaning of "altars" or "throne", the huge desk shaped stone blocks with back and with a niche in a sitting person, often a child - usually a hybrid between jaguar and human - in keeps the poor (11 + 12). Imagine what these sculptures are actually, is completely unknown. "Throne" or "altars" it was only speculation by archaeologists using the good old "Looks-at-the-best-of-like" principle baptized.
An Olmec cave paintings in Oxtotitlan dated to the period shortly after San Lorenzo, shows a human figure sitting on something that the top of this "throne" is like amazing. This person is represented in "bird disguise" with wings and bird mask, as it should so often occur in the aftermath of San Lorenzo. The significance is also unknown (13 + 14).
puzzling findings
It is strange enough that here in San Lorenzo man, previously a simple stone age farmers' life-ended, with a time produced labor-intensive stone monuments, but even more remarkable is the mass production of mysterious small objects from ilmenite, and this in the order of hundreds of thousands of completely identical Objects.
Ilmenite is an iron ore, an oxide of iron and titanium (FeTiO 3), and it has magnetic properties. The material came for the San Lorenzaner probably from remote mining sites in Chiapas and Oaxaca to process it, then in their city in the workshops such as on an assembly line to small elongated identical objects of about 1.5 centimeters in length. Each particle had three holes with a diameter of 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters - and all at exactly the same places. Objects from ilmenite
The excavations at San Lorenzo estimates:
In San Lorenzo manufactured in mass production archaeologist Ann Cyphers more than eight tonnes of ilmenite found these small particles, more than 150,000 single piece alone at one point. A whole bunch of them was near one of the colossal heads were buried, more than ten thousand were found in the suburb of Loma del Zapote (a city bearing down in the valley) and extensive pile of thousands of other sites (5 + 7).
the archaeologists who dealt with these ilmenite particles is unclear how and what the holes were drilled in the square-cylindrical objects. An experiment of the scientist Robert Velazquez Cabrera (15) resulted in a drilling time of eight hours for a single hole with a modern electric drill. Cabrera believes the manual production of the wells in each case would probably weeks, if not have lasted even months, to start from the Olmecs granted tools. Aggravating factor for the production was still joined, so Cabrera, that these objects in the processing rates were not at all in the hand.
But the purpose for which so many of these ilmenite particles were produced? Why this material? What is this? Prof. Michael Coe (5) tapped "mehrlöchrige pearls", but it is being aware that this statement makes no sense. What three holes? If would have been sufficient for a chain or cord a hole? Other speculation turned Fire is a tool for drilling, with fish net weights, parts of darts, and parts of tools, parts of armor, ritual objects and tools for work that has to do with turning or rotating as in spinning or ropes. But most of these functions would have needed only one hole. The production alone of the three holes but was extremely difficult and labor-intensive, we would not be superfluous holes drilled.
The funniest speculation (15) revolves around the idea that this had been musical instruments, a kind of pipe. Just imagine once the massive San Lorenzo-band, to see that this speculation is absurd. Nowhere were the Excavating the slightest hint of the erstwhile practical use of these objects. They were just in the big pile of Olmec deliberately buried under the ground. Perhaps, one of the readers of the "Legendary Times" any idea what could have been this ilmenite particles?
high-tech mirror
as mysterious as the purpose of the ilmenite-objects of the alleged mirror. San Jose Mogote workshop was one of the regional offices at the time of the Olmecs in Oaxaca. Here clearly were the master planners produce mass concave ground, usually circular disk-like objects that archaeologists from the mirror of the excellent properties due for "mirror" as a were interpreted. Here toiled like a conveyor belt not members of the now designated as Olmec Stone Age farmers, but as members of the Zapotec called Stone Age people, located in a large housing estate with rectangular houses, public buildings, moats and ball games.
These "mirror", which probably also still produced in San Lorenzo, composed of magnetite, hematite and ilmenite (later imitations of jade were not nearly as bright polish), ie iron ore.
One of the Olmec "mirror" to this day good mirror properties
These objects are made of an amazingly high quality, with a technology that went to the Olmec, Zapotec, and later in time Teotihuacanos (about 100 BC.) Lost. These items were to be not easy, there are artisan masterpieces. They were fed ground perfect, the most concave (curved inward), in a round, oval or rounded rectangular shape. But which had been polished? Another such detailed investigations have been able to identify any sanding marks. Such quality can actually be achieved with modern technology through a combination of polishing and etching. What is then used as a processing material? We have no idea.
The size of the objects varied from thumbnail size to about 15 centimeters in diameter. These mirrors were prepared for self-examination? Was it jewelry? Figurines and stone monuments to show mirror-like objects on the head or - mostly - on the chest of people, often those with "super natural" features such as highly elongated skull and Jaguar people details the typical motifs that appeared the first time at San Lorenzo. What should concentrate the concave surface? (16 + 17 + 18)
The "mirror" and the ilmenite particles have one thing in common: both were produced in large quantities (the ilmenite particles in very large). And with both the intended use is completely unknown.
was mass manner apparently in San Lorenzo also made new ceramics (primarily serving measures) were with the then equipped offices such as San Jose Mogote or settlement in the Tuxtla Mountains, which undertook the dismantling and removal of the basalt stone blocks and controlled. Given that the maximum population of San Lorenzo is estimated at little more than a thousand people - 2500 with the few suburbs in the valley down below - it is mysterious, as so few people have so much you can afford (5).
All this - the new techniques for processing of basalt rock and Iron ore, the new ceramic, know how to build a great city on an artificial plateau and a pre-planned layout to the smallest detail - is a stone farmhouse with time management skills and fresh ideas brought to life all of this? Without precedent, without any technical revolution? Never!
Archaeologists swarm Preclassic enthusiastic about a revolution (1) or a Central American Wonder (19). This culture began suddenly . This culture began to be fully developed with all the necessary know how for all their parts. Here is how out of nowhere present a stage of development, for which one, according to the Experen hundreds of years would have needed in order to achieve step by step. But with the Olmecs, everything was suddenly there. What could a community of farmers, fishermen and hunters have turned into a community with a high culture and elite special workers? No one has an explanation. San Lorenzo was unique, and all later in the culture of the Olmec, the Maya was so out of here, without models or precedents.
The master planner
Who were the master planners who had initiated all this? They came from another country, her from another continent or even further? Why does the San Lorenzaner and the later Olmec in their art hybrids is between man and Jaguar? Why do they put next to it is people who have extremely elongated skull, a feature which should produce later, the Maya artificial? Are all the "jaguar snouts" of human faces no such, but only the arts allelic implementation of something else?
The famous astronaut of El Baul ": an example of the Olmec jaguar man
Perhaps these are the forerunners of the" wind mask "of the Sky Lord 9 Wind / god Quetzalcoatl, as suggested by some researchers (9 + 10 + 12)? Remember the famous "astronauts of El Baul (= early Olmekenstadt) with its snout Jaguar at the helm! By the way, including El Baúl to the mountain-sun-city combinations, such as San Lorenzo.
Jaguar people and Langschädler: Did the Olmecs is something that they saw themselves or something they imagined it? Important and striking is that this iconography emerges only from the time of San Lorenzo. This may be a coincidence. And it must mean something, that the iconography in the period after San Lorenzo man (or gods?) Endowed with features such as wings or bird masks, cascading gods represented, as well as numerous celestial symbols and the idea of a trip in the sky, even architecturally been realized.
Vandalism?
The end of San Lorenzo is just as mysterious as the beginning. Once again - about 950 BC. According to Michael Coe (5) - it came to labor-intensive activities to which the archaeologists could make no sense. The city residents were beginning to damage their stone monuments deliberately and systematically. Even today, many of which bear witness to scratches, holes, pitting, scoring and demolition sites. In many cases, were the monuments, the heads were chopped off, whether in person or person Jaguar "throne niche". On other monuments were destroyed parts of the face or whole sections have been canceled. "Throne" were broken into pieces, including columns and other yet uninterpreted objects. Monuments were beaten with axes, hatchets and hammers, and was pelted with stones. Some monuments must have been lifted even on high scaffolding or frames and then thrown down to other monuments. This is the view of Michael Coe, the only possible explanation for the large broken pieces.
is particularly mysterious, the fact that all the broken heads and other parts were still not recovered. Whatever the reason for this destruction was done, it was an enormous amount of time, energy and labor invested.
These monuments are very large, and basalt is a hard rock (5). More and more archaeologists to doubt that this is a case of anger or riots. It is much more complicated, because then, the monuments buried carefully and according to plan, and this imaginary along a dead straight lines, each a colorful mixture of colossal heads, "thrones" headless Jaguar people, plumbing components, column fragments and other things - all of them with damage tracks. It is not yet identified all the lines exactly, but one can already say that some were aligned cardinal. The burial of these monuments up to six meters must also have been very labor-intensive, at a depth so as they prepared for many monuments have also carefully colored sandy soils found when the excavations (5 + 7).
Was there a simple, practical purpose for such actions? Was this a kind of warehouse or a museum - but for whom and for when? Even in the aftermath of San Lorenzo were in other cities - both the Olmec and the Maya - always strange accounts created, in which artifacts were buried en masse. There is no explanation for it yet.
The beginning of the culture of the Olmecs with San Lorenzo and thus of Central America is one of the great unsolved mystery is the past (20 + 12 + 22). Perhaps we can come closer to solving this puzzle only when the pre-astronautical With aspect involves. Unknown "master planner" here not only caused a cultural leap, but also in other places and at other times. Who were they and where do they come? From another world - or from another time?
literature
1 = Coe, Michael Richard Diehl: In the Land of the Olmec. Austin 1980
2 = Prehistoric Polymers: Rubber Processing in Ancient Mesoamerica. In: Journal of Science, Vol 284, June 1999
3 = Grove, David C. / Rosemary A. Joyce: Social Patterns in Pre-Classic Mesoamerica. Washington, DC, 1999
4 = Dopatka, Ulrich: Encyclopedia of the pre-astronautics. Vienna, Dusseldorf 1979
5 = Coe, Michael San Lorenzo and the Olmec Civilization. Washington, D.C., 1970
6 = Malmström, Vincent H.: Land of the Fifth Sun: Mexico in Space and Time. Hannover, New Hampshire, 2002
7 = Cyphers, Ann: From Stone to Symbols: Art in Social Context at San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan. In: Grove / Joyce: Social Patterns in Pre-Classic Mesoamerica. Washington, D.C., 1999
8 = www.cultures.com/contest/heads/em_al.html
9 = Blomster, Jeffrey P.: What and where ist Olmec Style? In: Ancient Mesoamerica, Nr. 13, 2002
10 = Taube, Karl A.: Olmec Art at Dumbarton Oaks. Washington, D.C., 2004
11 = Grove, David C.: Olmec Altars and Myths. In: Archaeology, Nr. 26, 1973
12 = Coe, Michael: Olmec Jaguars and Olmec Kings. In: E.P. Benson: The Cult of the Feline. Washington, D.C., 1970
13 = www.utexas.edu/cofa/a_ah/dir/preco/oxtotitlan.htm
14 = Reilly III., F. Kent: Visions to Another World. Dissertation Austin 1994
15 = Cabrera, Roberto V.: A Magical Aerophone from the Olmec Infraworld? 13rd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Pittsburgh, Juni 2002
16 = Flannery, Kent V.: The Olmec and the Valley of Oaxaca. Washington, D.C., 1999
17 = Heizer, Robert / J.G. Gulberg: Concave Mirrors of the Site of La Venta, Tabasco. In: E.P. Benson: The Olmec and their Neighbours. Washington, D.C., 1981
18 = Lunazzi, José J.: On the Quality of the Olmec Mirrors and its Utilization. Guanajuato 1955
19 = Lavin, Kimberly: The Olmecs: A Mesoamerican Wonder. http://facweb.stvincent.edu/academics/religiousstu/writings/lavin1.htm
20 = Noble, John W.: Mother Culture, of Only a "Sister"? The New York Times, 15. März 2005
21 = Noble, John W.: Mystery of the Olmecs endures. The New York Times, 21. April 2005
22 = Joyce, Rosemary / David C. Grove: Asking New Questions about the Mesoamerican Pre-Classic. www.doaks.ofg/social/social08.pdf
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