LA VENTA ZOO, BOTANICAL GARDEN AND OLMEC SCULPTURES

The Olmecs are an ancient civilization believed to have inhabited Mexico and other parts of Central America up to 10,000 years ago. There is a La Venta archeological site in an island in the middle of one of the rivers here in the state of Tabasco where most of the large basalt volcanic rock sculptures have been found. Some have been moved to Parque La Venta we just visited.

The Olmecs transported the heavy stones by floating them down rivers from the mouontains of inland Tuxtla.

This is one of many Olmec thrones. The deity is in lotus position and has a jaguar headress.

This is one of a very few representations of Olmec women.

The chidren bein carried are in full motion.


Olmec warriors distorted their craneums to flatten and sink in the part between the eyes to make them appear more like the sacred jaguar. They also cut their upper lip in an artificial harelip to mimic the central split in the upper lip of the jaguar.


Olmecs hunted porpoises and specially the manatee, using the fat, skin and bones for many purposes.

I don't know who or what this is, but someone said it was in the lemur family.

La Venta park has a few native species. Here is a mother spyder monkey and her baby. her baby clinks tight and gives the mother full motion as she climbs and swings. These monkeys have long prehensile tails that they use for tree climbing and travel across the canopy.