Sterlings discover San Lorenzo as Olmec birthplace in 1946. The final expedition set off from Washington DC in late January 1946 Sterling reached a site now known as San Lorenzo in Veracruz They discovered a 30-ton colossal head known as El Rey
In January 1946, Matthew Stirling reached San Lorenzo in Veracruz. They discovered a massive colossal head (El Rey) and over 200 more basalt monuments including altar thrones, statues, and stelae. San Lorenzo sits on an elevated plateau and is now considered the earliest Olmec city - the formative period of the entire Olmec world.
Key Facts
- The final expedition set off from Washington DC in late January 1946
- Sterling reached a site now known as San Lorenzo in Veracruz
- They discovered a 30-ton colossal head known as El Rey
- Over 200 more basalt monuments were uncovered at San Lorenzo
- Discovered San Lorenzo Colossal Heads 1-10 and Monuments 1-61
- Findings included megalithic altar thrones, statues, circular altars, and stelae
- Surface finds showed early iterations of pottery styles seen at La Venta
- San Lorenzo is considered the earliest Olmec city and the formative period of the Olmec world
- The site sits on an elevated plateau overlooking fertile river valleys
Related site: San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán Museum — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: The First Explorers of the Olmecs: A Truly Lost Civilization by Luke Caverns