The Early Olmec and Mesoamerica
The Material Record

Breaking new ground in Olmec studies, this book reveals the complexity and diversity of 'America's first civilization'.

Jeffrey P. Blomster (Edited by), David Cheetham (Edited by)

9781107107670, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 21 March 2017

356 pages, 113 b/w illus. 33 tables
26.1 x 18.3 x 2 cm, 0.9 kg

The Early Formative Olmec are central in a wide variety of debates regarding the development of Mesoamerican societies. A fundamental issue in Olmec archaeology is the nature of interregional interaction among contemporaneous societies and the possible Olmec role in it. Previous debates have often not been informed by recent research and data, often relying on materials lacking archaeological context. In order to approach these issues from new perspectives, this book introduces readers to the full spectrum of the material culture of the Olmec and their contemporaries, relying primarily on archaeological data, much of which has not been previously published. For the first time, using a standard lexicon to consider the nature of the interaction among Early Formative societies, the authors, experts in diverse regions of Mesoamerican art and archaeology, provide carefully considered contrasts and comparisons that advance the understanding of the Early Formative origins of social complexity in Mesoamerica.

Introduction
1. Materializing the San Lorenzo Olmecs David Cheetham and Jeffrey P. Blomster
2. Defining Early Olmec style pottery: techniques, forms, and motifs at San Lorenzo Jeffrey P. Blomster, David Cheetham, Rosemary A. Joyce and Christopher A. Pool
3. An Early Horizon manifestation in the San Lorenzo countryside Carl J. Wendt
4. An Early Olmec manifestation in Western Olman: the Arroyo phase at Tres Zapotes Christopher A. Pool, Ponciano Ortiz Ceballos, María del Carmen Rodríguez, Erin L. Sears, Ronald L. Bishop and M. James Blackman
5. Early Horizon materials in the Greater Basin of Mexico and Guerrero Louise I. Paradis
6. Materializing the Early Olmec style in the Nochixtlán Valley, Oaxaca Jeffrey P. Blomster
7. Early Olmec style ceramics from the Southern Isthmus of Tehuantepec Marcus Winter, Víctor Manuel Zapien López and Alma Zaraí Montiel Ángeles
8. Ceramic vessel form similarities between San Lorenzo, Veracruz, and Canton Corralito, Chiapas David Cheetham and Michael D. Coe
9. 'Olmec' pottery in Honduras Rosemary A. Joyce and John S. Henderson
10. Figuring out the Early Olmec era Barbara L. Stark.

Subject Areas: Archaeology by period / region [HDD], Archaeology [HD], History of the Americas [HBJK]