The Olmecs: America's First Civilization.

THE OLMECS: America's First Civilization RICHARD A. DIEHL

The Olmecs reigned from 2500 B.C. to A.D. 400 in what is now southern Mexico. These are the people who created the first complex culture in Mesoamerica. They are also one of only six of history's "pristine" civilizations--the earliest people of a region or culture. Unfortunately, the Olmecs didn't leave any written record, and there's no evidence that an oral history passed through the Aztecs to the Spanish. In fact, the Aztecs may not have even known of the Olmecs. Moreover, the acidic soil of the region doesn't hold any ancient skeletons. Only carbon-dated archaeological finds tell the Olmecs' story. This obviously leaves room for arguments when scientists offer their ideas about this civilization. In this well-illustrated and scholarly book, Diehl addresses some of that controversy while presenting his own theories. He pulls together a wealth of data that details Olmec life, art, and history. Today, the Olmecs are best known for large stone monuments, small objects carved from jadeite and other semiprecious stones, and complex architecture in towns and cities. Diehl explains how these elements shaped Olmec social, political, economic, and religious institutions and influenced civilizations that followed. Thames Hudson, 2004, 208 p., color/b&w photos/illus., hardcover, $39.95.