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Subject: Interfaith dialogue

bozzalad 23.07.14 - 03:02pm
Like many early Mesoamerican cultures, the Olmec believed in three tiers of existence: the physical realm they inhabited, an underworld and a sky realm, home of most of the gods. Their world was bound together by the four cardinal points and natural boundaries such as rivers, the ocean and mountains. The most important aspect of Olmec life was agriculture, so it is no surprise that the Olmec agricultural/fertility cult, gods and rituals were extremely important. The rulers and kings of the Olmec * +

bozzalad 23.07.14 - 03:02pm
had an important role to play as intermediaries between the realms, although it is unknown exactly what relationship to their gods they claimed. * +

bozzalad 23.07.14 - 03:03pm
The Olmec had several deities whose images repeatedly appear in surviving sculptures, stonecarvings and other artistic forms. Their names have been lost to time, but archaeologists identify them by their characteristics. No fewer than eight regularly-appearing Olmec deities have been identified. These are the designations given to them by Joralemon: * +

bozzalad 23.07.14 - 03:03pm
The Olmec Dragon The Bird Monster The Fish Monster The Banded-eye God The Maize God The Water God The Were-jaguar The Feathered Serpent * +

bozzalad 23.07.14 - 03:05pm
There is strong evidence that the Olmec had a shaman class in their society. Later Mesoamerican cultures which derived from the Olmec had full-time priests who acted as intermediaries between the common people and the divine. There are sculptures of shamans apparently transforming from humans into were-jaguars. Bones of toads with hallucinogenic properties have been found at Olmec sites: the mind-altering drugs were presumably used by shamans. The rulers of Olmec cities probably served as shaman * +

bozzalad 23.07.14 - 03:05pm
as well: rulers were likely considered to have a special relationship with the gods and many of their ceremonial functions were religious. Sharp objects, such as stingray spines, have been found at Olmec sites and were most likely used in sacrificial bloodletting rituals. * +

bozzalad 23.07.14 - 03:07pm
the Olmec venerated natural sites as well. El Manat is a bog where offerings were left by the Olmecs, probably those who lived at San Lorenzo. Offerings included wooden carvings, rubber balls, figurines, knives, axes and more. Although caves are rare in the Olmec region, some of their carvings indicate a reverence for them: in some stonecarvings the cave is the mouth of the Olmec Dragon. Caves in Guerrero state have paintings inside which are associated with the Olmec. Like many ancient cultures * +

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