The Olmec culture is considered the first Mesoamerican civilization. Olmec influence can be seen in nearly all subsequent cultures, up to and even after the conquest of the area by the Spanish. They appear to be the first to practice ritual bloodletting and Mesoamerican ballgames, both of which are hallmarks of subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations.

The Olmecs are well known for their arts, especially their monumental stone carvings of human heads.

This Olmec-style jug in the shape of a vulture, ca. 1200 - 800 BC, shows a sophistication of three dimensional form that is unsurprising in a culture that prized sculpture. This vessel is ceramic, painted black with traces of red ocher. It is 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) in height.

Image Courtesy of Madman2001 / Craig Fisher