Articles Index

The Cascajal Block
The Cascajal Block is a large serpentine block discovered in a gravel quarry in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, which is carved with 62 glyphic signs and appears to be the oldest form of a written language discovered yet in the Americas.

Olmec Timeline and Definition
A study guide to the Olmec civilization, including timelines, important sites, important facts, subsistence and settlement, burning issues, and a bibliography

The Olmec Civilization and Bitumen
Geoarchaeological research by Carl Wendt and Shan-Tan Lu has identified origin sources of bitumen used by the great Olmec civilization of the tropical lowlands of central America, 3000 years ago. The project, described by Olmec scholar David Grove as a “break-though in source analyzing bitumen in Mesoamerica”, may shed light on the vast trade networks throughout prehistoric North America.