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- Title: Kunz Axe
- Period: Middle Formative
- Date: 900-300 BC
- Civilization: Olmec
- Material: Jade
- 1. Almond shaped eyes and mouth like a jaguar lead us to believe that it reps a chief or shaman who transformed himself into a jaguar
- 2. Jade is an exceptionally hard material so it took great skill to carve this with the early stone tools
- 3. Most likely a ceremonial object like a celt
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- Title: Figures at El Manati
- Period: Early Formative
- Date: 1040 BCE
- Civilization: Olmec
- Material: Wood
- 1. It is very rare in terms of finding it in archelogical record so well-preserved
- 2. Evidence of pigmentation which means they were probably painted or ritualistic, likely with hematite which symbolizes blood
- 3. They were ritually buried and wrapped in mats made from vegetable fibers
- 4. Believed to depict actual people because of their individual expressions
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- Title: Olmec or Colossal Head #1 (el rey) San Lorenzo
- Period: Early Formative
- Date: 1200-900 BCE
- Civilization: Olmec
- Medium: Basalt
- 1. It is 2.9 m high & 2.1 m wide
- 2. It is associated with rulership and heritage
- 3. Found in San Lorenzo which is significant b/c the quarry these massive stones came from was miles away so it was transported a long way
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- Title: Hero Twins
- Period: Early Formative
- Date: 1100-800 BCE
- Civilization: Olmec
- Medium: Stone
- 1. Slope in the back leads us to believe they might have had a purpose being carved that way
- 2. Found in situ (on-site, original place) and sculpted in the round (freestanding)
- 3. They are forerunners of the Maya Hero Twins
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- Title: Offering 4 at La Venta
- Period: Middle Formative
- Date: 900-400 BCE
- Civilization: Olmec
- Medium: Basalt & serpentine
- 1. Ritually buried in a deep hole and then re-entered via an elliptical pit for inspection
- 2. Contains 6 celts and 15 jade & serpentine figures
- 3. Particular formation they were placed in leads us to believe it represented a council or ceremony
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- Title: Lord (Stela 1 at La Mojarra)
- Period: Late Formative
- Date: 2nd century AD
- Civilization: epi-Olmec
- Medium: limestone
- 1. Contains a whole bunch of glyphs, which is one of Mesoamericas earliest known written records
- 2. Wears the headdress of the Principle Bird Diety
- 3. Shown in composite view (frontal torso, profile head)
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