Currently not on view
Bowl carved with "Olmec dragon" motif,
1200–900 BCE
Olmec Style Ceramics
Beginning about 1200 B.C., stylistically similar ceramic vessels and figurines appear across much of Mesoamerica. Both white-slipped, fleshy figures—some incorporating features of infants—and vessels carved with abstracted renditions of crocodilian beasts (among other motifs) indicate widespread awareness of the complex civilization developing on Mexico’s Gulf Coast at San Lorenzo, the primary Olmec center from 1200 to 900 B.C. and the point of origin of these forms. Confusingly, the term “Olmec” has been applied both to the coastal culture and to the artistic style that appears in so many other parts of Mesoamerica. The exact nature of San Lorenzo’s role in the dissemination of this style remains hotly debated.
Information
1200–900 BCE
North America, Mexico
Share your feedback with us
The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.
