The Olmec Teotihuacan The Mixtec The Zapotec Early Civilizations of Mexico and Mesoamerica Pre-Columbian Americas > Early Civilizations of Mexico and Mesoamerica Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at

The Olmec lived in south-central Mexico, with their center in La Venta. Little is known about Olmec religion, though scholars believe there were eight main deities. People lived in small agricultural villages outside of urban centers which were mainly for ceremonial use. The decline of the Olmec population from BCE may have been due to environmental changes. The Olmec Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at mexico-and-mesoamerica-51/the-olmec Pre-Columbian Americas > Early Civilizations of Mexico and Mesoamerica

Teotihuacan was founded around 100 BCE and reached its peak population around 450 CE. Teotihuacan was a multi-ethnic city, with distinct quarters occupied by Otomi, Zapotec, Mixtec, Maya and Nahua peoples. The geographical layout of Teotihuacan is a good example of the Mesoamerican tradition of planning cities, settlements, and buildings as a reflections of their view of the Universe. Teotihuacan Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at mexico-and-mesoamerica-51/teotihuacan Pre-Columbian Americas > Early Civilizations of Mexico and Mesoamerica

The Mixtec survive, but reached peak prominence in the 11th century CE. The language "Mixtec" is set of up to 50 languages, and is not to be confused with the Mixtec people. The Mixtec are well known in the anthropological world for their Codices, or phonetic pictures in which they wrote their history and genealogies. The Mixtec Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at mexico-and-mesoamerica-51/the-mixtec View on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas > Early Civilizations of Mexico and Mesoamerica

The Zapotec civilization originated in the three Central Valleys of Oaxaca in the late 6th Century BCE. There are five distinct Zapotec periods, denoted Mount Alban 1-5 (after the place of origin). The Zapotec were polytheists who developed a calendar and logosyllabic writing system. The Zapotec Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at mexico-and-mesoamerica-51/the-zapotec Pre-Columbian Americas > Early Civilizations of Mexico and Mesoamerica

Key terms La Venta The main city of the Olmec civilization. Mixtec Indigenous Mesoamerican peoples inhabiting the region known as La Mixteca which covers parts of the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla. Monte Alban The place of origin for the Zapotec civilization. Teotihuacan A large precolumbian Mesoamerican city known for its archeological significance. Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Pre-Columbian Americas

Olmec Head This sculpture is typical of the Colossal Heads of the Olmec Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Wikipedia. "Olmec colossal Heads." CC BY-SA View on Boundless.comCC BY-SA 3.0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmec_colossal_heads#mediaviewer/File:Mexico.Tab.OlmecHead.01.jpgView on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas

A funerary urn in the shape of a "bat god" or a jaguar ca. AD 300–650.Height: 9.5 in (23 cm). Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Wikipedia. "Zapotec Civilization." CC BY-SA View on Boundless.comCC BY-SA 3.0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapotec_civilizationView on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas

Olmec King Surviving art, like this relief of a king or chief found in La Venta, help provide clues about how Olmec society functioned. Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Wikipedia. "Olmec King." Public domain View on Boundless.comPublic domainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Olmec_King.jpgView on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas

Piramide del Sol Pirámide del Sol at Teotihuacan Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Wikimedia Commons. "Pirámide del Sol, Teotihuacán." CC BY-SA View on Boundless.comCC BY-SA on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas

Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Wikipedia. "Monte alban panorama from northern platform." CC BY-SA View on Boundless.comCC BY-SA 3.0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Monte_alban_panorama_from_northern_platform.jpg View on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas

Mixtec's Area The historical geographic area inhabited by the Mixtec. Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Wikipedia. "Mixtecs." CC BY-SA View on Boundless.comCC BY-SA 3.0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mixtecs.pngView on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas

Mixtec Funerary Mask Mixtec art has been used to explain precolumbian history. Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Wikimedia Commons. "Mixtec funerary mask Grave No. 7 Monte Alban Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca anagoria." CC BY View on Boundless.comCC BY on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas

Panorama from Monte Alban The view from the site of origin of the Zapotec Free to share, print, make copies and changes. Get yours at Wikipedia. "Monte alban panorama from northern platform." CC BY View on Boundless.comCC BY 3.0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Monte_alban_panorama_from_northern_platform.jpgView on Boundless.com Pre-Columbian Americas