Mexican monolith may cast new light on MesoamericaA carved monolith unearthed in Mexico may show that the Olmec
civilization, one of the oldest in the Americas, was more widespread
than thought or that another culture thrived alongside it 3,000 years
ago. Findings at the newly excavated Tamtoc archeological site in the
north-central state of San Luis Potosi may prompt scholars to rethink
a view of Mesoamerican history which holds that its earliest peoples
were based in the south of Mexico.
"It is a very relevant indicator of an Olmec penetration far to
the north, or of the presence of a new group co-existing with the
Olmecs," said archeologist Guillermo Ahuja, who led a government team
excavating the site for the past five years. The Olmecs are
considered the mother culture of pre-Hispanic Mexico. Ruins of Olmec
centers believed to have flourished as early as 1200 BCE have been
found in the Gulf Coast states of Veracruz and Tabasco, with only
scattered artifacts found elsewhere.
Workers restoring a canal at the site stumbled on the stone
monolith. It appears to represent a lunar calendar and contains three
human figures and other symbols in relief. At 25 feet long, 13 feet
high, 16 inches thick and weighing more than 30 tons, it may date to
as early as 900 BCE, Ahuja said. Experts will try to interpret the
icons to learn more about the artists and their culture. "They are
new symbols in Mesoamerica," Ahuja said.
At Tamtoc, scientists found evidence of an advanced
civilization, with a hydraulic system, canals and other technology,
making it the oldest and most advanced center of its time found in
what later became Huasteco Indian region, Ahuja said. "It is the
first and only Huasteco City we know," he said. The 330-acre complex
has three plazas and more than 70 buildings and may indicate that the
Olmecs migrated northward and mingled with other peoples there, he
said.
Tamtoc, located about 550 miles northeast of Mexico City, will
open to the public this week, while experts including linguists,
historians, ethnographers and others study findings from the site to
confirm their origins.
Source: Reuters (8 May 2006)
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