This magnificent volume served as the catalog for the first comprehensive exhibition of the Olmec art in the U.S., which showed at the National Gallery in Washington last year. The Olmecs, centered on the southern Gulf Coast of Mexico, forged the first advanced culture of North America. From about 1200 to 400 B.C., the Olmecs developed a sophisticated society and artistic tradition that inspired many later Mesoamerican cultures.
As a major exhibition catalog, this volume won’t disappoint readers in search of photos of great Olmec statuary. But it is much more than just an art book. Fourteen distinguished scholars help readers understand this ancient, wonderful culture. The book highlights the discoveries of the earliest archaeologists, such as the legendary Matt Stirling, along with the sites they excavated. Stirling was the first to tie the Olmecs to the Maya and others, their direct cultural descendants. This connection has led many archaeologists to call the Olmecs the “Mother Culture” of Mesoamerica.
This study is the best so far on the ancient Olmecs, combining the splendor of their art, with a text covering everything from Olmec origins to the symbolism of the gigantic stone heads. Olmec Art is certain to become a collector’s item.
