La Venta founded c. 1400 BCE as major Olmec city in the Tonala drainage. La Venta was founded around 1400 BCE on a small salt dome island in the Tonala River drainage, about 13 km from the coast By 1150 BCE, emerging elites used pottery inspired by San Lorenzo styles By 800 BCE, La Venta covered 150 to 200 hectares and was among the premier cities in Mesoamerica
La Venta was founded ~1400 BCE on a salt dome island in the Tonala River drainage, ~13 km from the coast 🌽. By 800 BCE, it spanned 150-200 hectares and ranked among Mesoamerica's premier cities. Robert Heizer estimated ~18,000 people. Maize farming scaled up after 1150 BCE as the staple crop.
Key Facts
- La Venta was founded around 1400 BCE on a small salt dome island in the Tonala River drainage, about 13 km from the coast
- By 1150 BCE, emerging elites used pottery inspired by San Lorenzo styles
- By 800 BCE, La Venta covered 150 to 200 hectares and was among the premier cities in Mesoamerica
- Robert Heizer estimated La Venta and its hinterland had a population of around 18,000 people
- Maize farming scaled up after 1150 BCE and became the staple crop of the city and its hinterlands
- San Lorenzo's decline was related to changes in subsistence, rising political turmoil, and changes in natural river systems, with the Coatzacoalcos and San Juan basins largely abandoned around 1000 BCE
Related site: La Venta — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: The Olmec Golden Age by Ancient Americas