The jaguar, the rain, the corn or the dragon are part of the elemental figures that represent the olmec gods. With the help of this post you will discover what their powers are, the role they play in society and how they usually protect their loved ones. Discover each one below.
Who were the Olmecs?
They are the culture belonging to the inhabitants of Mesoamerica. The previous generation of Mesoamericans endowed the society they inhabit today with great qualities. For this reason, the Olmecs are respected by their neighbors as great connoisseurs of the cosmogony, of great powers and visions. This culture is the root for the Mayans and Aztecs to expand their knowledge later on.
It can be considered as the first settlers of America, understanding the chronological stage 1.200 BC-400 BC Universal history establishes that they are the first settlers of the pre-Columbian period. To understand its formation in depth, it is necessary to mention some of its characteristics:
- They created the ball game. Beyond being an interesting dynamic, it is a cult ritual for the gods. Instead of being called a stadium, it is a ceremonial center.
- The basic economic activity is agriculture, because it involves various Olmec gods in the growth of plants.
- As a general rule, the leaders of the groups are considered as shamans or rulers.
- Animals play a fundamental role in their culture, being the link between people and gods.
- The colossal heads hide an interesting secret: they are presumably heads that belonged to shamans from the region.
Characteristics of your religion
There is no vast information to explain the background of this religion. Until recently, the social life of the Olmecs represented a question mark, because researchers collected some recent testimonies about their rituals or lifestyle under the protection of religion. In recent years, the evidence of its existence has been irrefutable.
For the analysis of these characteristics, the vestiges of architectural facades were taken into account together with the study of sculptures. In this case, there was a confusion of origin for these objects, because some researchers allege that they are a foreign source and others, that they belonged to the inhabitants of Mesoamerica. These are some of its features:
- Polytheistic traits among its citizens. They had an inexhaustible source to believe in the gods they considered powerful. The existence in the Olmec gods is so varied that studies have not addressed enough. Its citizens believed in various entities of great power that represented their protective sign.
- Each god is protector of a certain aspect in the Mesoamerican culture. For example, one deity is destined for the care of animals, others for crops, and finally for people.
- The favorite animal of the Olmec civilization is the jaguar, due to its imposing image.
- Only the Kings have had half-human and half-animal representations.
- The supernatural power of the Kings is a fact. They enjoy religion as a fundamental pillar in their behavior.
- The shamans have functions of controlling the town. Behind the Kings, it maintains a certain hierarchy, whose citizenship must be respected.
- Visiting the mountains is a matter of a spiritual nature. It is the space that delimits heaven and earth.
- For the Olmecs, everything around them consists of a living being: trees, plants, or rivers have their own life.
Which are Olmec gods?
Religion is one of the elements that is part of human beings. They are free to love whatever deities they deem powerful. It is an intrinsic fact to be connected with a God who manages to heal our wounds or to make necessary offerings for the purpose of worship. In turn, there are Gods of the Toltecs well valued by people as superior beings, capable of governing destiny.
Jaguar God
It is important to start with this deity because of the importance of the figure of the jaguar within the culture. Known as Ek Balam, black star or black sun. It is related to all nocturnal activities, under the appearance of a sun with participation at night to open a vault that connects with the underworld.
All the Kings and shamans of ancient times were obliged to pay tribute to this feline of great presence. Among all the Olmec gods, he is the link of the most aggressive animal in America conjugated to nature itself. It has a totemic connotation, that is, it connects all the elements of nature with the appearance of the jaguar man of great courage.
He is associated with the aquatic serpent as the first to represent water during the creation of the earth. From here on, the jaguar snake is emphasized as synonymous with fertility and birth. The aesthetics of this jaguar is imposing, with great beauty, being a reason of honor for all those in charge of paying tribute. From his physiognomy, the following should be highlighted:
- Brown eyes.
- big head
- Protruding fangs.
- The upper lip slightly thicker than the lower.
Each myth of the Olmec gods marks a trend for universal history and for the Mexican territory itself. Apparently the Jaguar god is born from the carnal relationship between a woman and a jaguar. From this stage the jaguar men were born. For this reason, the origin of the Olmecs is marked by the precedent of having jaguar blood running through their veins.
Dragon God
It has the same age as the jaguar and there is even a representation quite similar to its silhouette. Known as the "Monster of the Earth", it presents several replicas in the form of sculptures that are part of the historical testimony of its appearance. The action of sculpting the dragon was born for the purpose of worship, until it was transferred to the plates or small statuettes that have been stored as extraordinary remains.
It is a fictional representation of the dragon. Why? thanks to a fantastic combination between snake, birds and the jaguar. It often happens that some Olmec artists reflected the god with a certain humanization to establish that miscegenation between creature / human being.
His physiognomy highlights the color and shape of his eyebrows, because it exemplifies the presence of fire. The name of these eyebrows under the culture is "flamigera" with the drawing of an Olmec cross in the eyes of the creature. The size of its nose is prominent, with a segmented tongue in two parts. Another particularity is the reaction of the dragon, because in specific scenes it spits out words, but occasionally it throws clouds out of its mouth.
From its years of antiquity, it is feasible to consider that its existence is linked to the birth of Mesoamerica as a region, as well as the first Olmec settlers. For sure, many debates have established that the dragon is not in the list of Olmec gods, with another sector against this premise.
Feathered Serpent
In the Olmec language it is presented as Kukulkan. It also represents some particular ruins in which some Olmec gods made life. Currently the Gulf of Mexico, north of Tabasco and south of Veracruz lay this powerful creature from the quetzal. The customs of Central America have focused on the snake as the highest patron between heaven and earth, as a living being of maximum power, compared to the strength of the jaguar.
The snake is the channel that communicates the earthly world with the heavenly, in addition to approving the birth of new beings or promoting fertility. He always used birds as messengers to give important information to the men of Mesoamerica. For that reason, the community of this geographic space respected the presence of this snake on earth.
All the Olmec gods had at least one rival in a dispute for power. For the serpent, Tezcatlipoca meant a contrast of his interests. Instead of benefiting the good through life and its fertility, he chose to support darkness and darkness. Huitzilopochtli is also another contender thanks to his inner strength to propel wars and destruction.
corn god
Of the Olmec gods in question, this authority was quite benevolent towards good men. To reward the work of the Mesoamerican population, he blessed all the communities with the production of corn to feed themselves. He does not have an established gender, therefore, calling him a man or a woman is valid in the face of the uncertainty of investigating his sex.
Dry corn is the representation of this god. It is the food with which he rewarded the good deeds of the Olmecs. He always guaranteed food for his entire community, to the extent of supporting farmers in their sowing / harvesting management. Protect the earth from all evil or dangerous gods who try to interfere for good.
Aztec mythology tells that the birth of this god was quite fast. He just came to the world, he hid under the ground until he transformed into all subterranean elements like food or soil. After his death, all the rest were scattered below the ground, to favor the cultivation of corn throughout the Mesoamerican region.
Cotton was born from her hair, just as she shed many seeds through the contours of her face. Every part of her being was transformed into a useful object for humanity or a sacred food to satisfy her hunger. Of course, the Olmec population, grateful above all, usually honors with songs and rituals to call for abundance, happiness of the nation and fortification of the crops.
The best way to show gratitude for the favors received from this god is with the transfer of several ears of corn to the Chicomecóatl Temple. By doing this, your corn heart will spread many seeds on dry land for the production of this food.
God of rain
At some point you will have heard the name of Tlaloc in Mexican history and in Central America itself. He is quite a powerful god with the full power to handle the waters at will. It could be said that he also belongs to the aztec gods for being present in such a community with ceremonial rites in his honor.
Account in the protection of corn crops. If there were storms that were harmful to the fields, Tlaloc used his strength to chase away the evil waters that would destroy the little honorable work of men. That said, the presence of the Olmec gods is a blow to the justice and social welfare of these indigenous communities.
Its strength is comparable to that of thunder or lightning. If he is offended, he will not hesitate to use these resources to vent his anger. In another scenario, he is presented as a generous god and supplier of the vital liquid, together with the good harvests on earth.
Control everything related to natural phenomena with great skill. If the land is dry enough, it moves the rain from one place to another to water the plants that need the liquid to survive. Tlaloc is worthy of animal and human sacrifices to quench his fury. Otherwise, the voluntary rites are well seen by the god, who in exchange gives food.
His physique draws attention to a pair of well-pronounced eyes with jaguar-shaped teeth. His body is decorated with many allegorical details to the waters, with black, green and yellow tones. Ancient customs highlight that Tlaloc desires brotherhood among all human beings in order to be satisfied on his plane.
bandit god
In the most remote regions and in ancient Mesoamerica, the bandit god is venerated as a conglomerate of supernatural manifestations, according to pre-Hispanic history. Healers trusted him to solve health problems among their inhabitants, reporting that sometimes he was seen as half man and half ghost, as usual in the Olmec gods.
Called bandit god for containing a band located in one of the angles with which he portrays his face. In one of his eyes another of the bands is present. The corner of his sealed lips is peculiar. As for his body, he also possesses a kind of asymmetric bandage to a completely flat head.
In addition to the testimonies collected as a benevolent god with his humans, there is another sector of historians who assure a bandit god with dark powers used to cause evil to humanity.
harvest man
Although he is distinguished as a man in his first terms, he is a propelling god of fertility, good crops and family union. According to Mesoamerican mythology, he was a natural man who sacrificed his life to feed his people. As a result of his death, those crops that were about to be lost grew in such a way that the gathering produced a good diet.
Within the legends of Veracruz is a man named Homshuk, who died in the same way to ensure food for his community. Witnesses affirm that a lot of food sprouted from his knees to satisfy the famine of Veracruz. Do you know the origin of the Celtic Gods and his unmatched powers? Discover everything related to them.
Among other anecdotes, when approaching the sepulcher of the man of the harvest, in the next few hours abundance will come to the home, in each of the crops that he has established for a certain period of time. The Quiché culture associates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ with the man of the harvest because, while the son of God gave his last words of encouragement, corn sprouted from the earth.