Olmec Heads

The Olmec were a Pre-Columbian civilization living in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico. They were the first Mesoamerican civilization and predate the Aztecs, the Mayas and the Incas. Not much is known about their lost culture, except for the colossal head statues they carved.

Not much is known about these mysterious statues, due to the fact that there are no pre-Columbian texts that even acknowledge their existence. No two heads of the unearthed 17 are alike, and probably represent unique persons. Speculations to the identities of these persons range from ballplayers to religious leaders and heads of state.

The heads range in size from 1.47 to 3.4 meters high. It has been calculated that the largest heads weigh in at 50 tons. The heads were carved from single blocks of stone and then transported dozens of miles to their final resting places. It has been estimated that moving a colossal head required the efforts of 1,500 people for three to four months.