Olmec Civilization Research Paper

Words: 918
Pages: 4

The Olmec Civilization: Origin and Characteristics.

While scholars have long discussed the beginnings of the earliest civilization in Central and North America, questions remain around precisely how and from where emerged the origins of the influential Olmec culture. According to the reference texts, the earliest known cultures in the American far north have been tentatively carbon-dated to 25,000 B.C., with the inhabitants skilled in using bone tools and shaping instruments. The widely accepted theory proposing the Asiatic origin of indigenous American peoples has garnered support over 20,000 years through evidence of migration from Asia across this lengthy period. A further hypothesis proposes that the initial traversing of the Bering Strait transpired somewhere between 26,000 and 28,000 years in the past, which consequently brought about the appearance of the original indigenous peoples of the Americas with unique hereditary classifications detectable in their blood. These theories provide insight into the diverse origins of the Olmec Civilization, influenced by various migratory waves and cultural exchanges
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The Great Hunting Culture, associated with the Clovis points of the Sandia Culture, was a defining feature of the Olmec Civilization, reflecting the use of large, heavy flint points for hunting large animals. As temperatures rose and cloud cover diminished, the increased evaporation rate led both the great herds to decline while shifting how the human population lived. The Desert Tradition of western North America, which emerged around 9,000 B.C., was focused in the Great Basin where various sustenance options were exploited, such as small seeds, berries, and nuts. These characteristics highlight the adaptability and resourcefulness of the Olmec Civilization in diverse environmental