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The religion of the Olmec people significantly influenced the social development and mythological world view of Mesoamerica. Scholars have seen echoes of Olmec supernatural in the subsequent religions and mythologies of nearly all later pre-Columbian era cultures.
30 maj 2019 · Archaeologist Richard Diehl has identified five elements associated with Olmec Religion. These include: Like many early Mesoamerican cultures, the Olmec believed in three tiers of existence: the physical realm they inhabited, an underworld and a sky realm, home of most of the gods.
30 gru 2020 · Olmec religion. Like many early Mesoamerican religions, the Olmecs believed in three planes of existence: the physical realm they inhabited, the underworld, and the celestial realm, the home of most of the gods. Their world was linked by the four cardinal points and by natural borders such as rivers, the ocean, and mountains.
Olmec priests had developed a 260‐day calendar and a set of beliefs which involved a were‐jaguar (a mythical being that changes from a jaguar to a human being) and a flaming serpent. The Olmec style of art is visible mostly in sculpture and is realistic in its representation of natural and supernatural forms.
The Olmec were one of the earliest known civilizations in Mesoamerica, flourishing from around 1400 to 400 BCE. They are often referred to as the 'mother culture' of later Mesoamerican societies due to their significant contributions to art, architecture, and cultural practices that influenced future civilizations such as the Maya and Aztecs.
Religion and mythology played a vital role in shaping the identity of the Olmec civilization by influencing their worldviews and daily practices. The Olmecs practiced shamanism, believing in a connection between the natural world and spiritual realms.
As one of the earliest complex societies in the region, the Olmec people developed a rich cultural heritage marked by achievements in art, architecture, and, notably, religion. Their spiritual beliefs and practices laid the groundwork for subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Maya and the Aztec.
