The mysterious Olmec civilization, located in ancient Mexico, prospered in Pre-Classical (Formative) Mesoamerica from c. 1200 BCE to c. 400 BCE and is generally considered the forerunner of all subsequent Mesoamerican cultures including the Maya and Aztecs. read more
Olmec civilization is generally recognized as the earliest civilization in what is now present-day Mexico, and many of its distinctive cultural practices were handed down to successive civilizations in the general geographical region, so that the influence of the Olmec continued to be felt long after the civilization itself had faded. read more