3 101 1 A The Olmec ceremonial centre of La Venta is located on an island in a swamp. The centres contained ceremonial structures and the houses of the elite. The commoners who constructed La Venta dwelt in the surrounding lands and perhaps came from far away to contribute their labour to this great religious enterprise. It has been estimated that 18,000 people may have been involved. No domestic debris and very little pottery were found on the site. The heart of La Venta was a complex of monumental structures.
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9 102 2 A Much of La Venta is unexplored. A fine sculpted slab was accidentally discovered here: it depicts a figure seated within the coils of a gigantic rattlesnake, possibly an early form of the later Plumed Serpent god, Quetzalcoatl.
7 102 2 B A colossal head, one of five at La Venta. It is probably a portrait of one of La Venta's rulers, and wears a helmet for playing the ritual ballgame.
8 102 2 C Stela 2, one of a number of carved slabs of basalt erected at La Venta. This one depicts a figure in an elaborate head-dress surrounded by others wearing masks.
#8 102 2 C One of a number of carved slabs of basalt erected at La Venta. This one depicts a figure in an elaborate headdress surrounded by others wearing masks.
10 101 3 A Complex A: a large fluted mound, several other mounds, a plaza and a pyramid.
11 102 3 B A colossal head, one of five at La Venta. It is probably a portrait of one of La Venta's rulers, and wears a helmet for playing the ritual ballgame.
12 102 3 C One of a number of caches of precious objects buried along the north-south axis of the complex. This one contained a concave haematite (iron ore) mirror and twenty jade axes arranged in a cruciform pattern.
14 102 4 A One of three mosaic floors, each made of 485 serpentine blocks, representing a stylized were-jaguar mask. Shortly after completion, each was carefully buried. No such mosaics were found at San Lorenzo.
13 101 4 B Clays of different colours ( yellow, red and pink) were used to construct the individual foundation layers of this complex, above which a number of flat-topped earthen mounds were constructed.
16 102 4 C A basalt statue of a kneeling female figure with jaguar features. She is holding a rectangular vessel and is wearing a cape over her head and back.
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30 102 5 A Two 'altars', massive flat-topped monuments carved from a monolithic block. In a niche in the front of each of these 'altars' is a seated statue. One holds a rope binding a captive, the other has a were-jaguar baby on its lap.
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19 102 6 A One of three mosaic floors, each made of 485 serpentine blocks, representing a stylized were-jaguar mask. Shortly after completion, each was carefully buried. No such mosaics were found at San Lorenzo.
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21 101 7 A Tomb A, built of basalt columns and covered by an earthen mound. This contained the bodies of two children, each wrapped in a separate bundle and covered with red ochre. With them were a number of rich grave goods, including jade figurines and other jade objects including imitations of the stingray spine used for bloodletting.
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23 102 8 A Tomb contained the bodies of two children, each wrapped in a separate bundle and covered with red ochre. With them were a number of rich grave goods including jade figurines and other jade objects including imitations of the stingray spines used for bloodletting.
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26 102 9 A Clay layers laid over the complex covered the cache.
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27 101 10 A White sand was heaped up to cover the figurines, which had been embedded in the underlying reddish sand.
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29 102 11 A Sixteen figurines and six polished stone axes made of granite, serpentine (an attractive green stone) and jade, apparently arranged in a ritual scene, the axes presumably representing stelae (carved monoliths).
50 103 2 D A large fluted conical mound of earth and clay, possibly representing a volcano. The basalt used by the Olmec for their colossal heads comes from the volcanic Tuxtla mountains, of which this may be an imitation.
-1 101 1 Z The Olmec ceremonial centre of La Venta is located on an island in a swamp. The centres contained ceremonial structures and the houses of the elite. The commoners who constructed La Venta dwelt in the surrounding lands and perhaps came from far away to contribute their labour to this great religious enterprise. It has been estimated that 18,000 people may have been involved. No domestic debris and very little pottery were found on the site. The heart of La Venta was a complex of monumental structures.
