Olmec Mother Culture
The earliest known civilization in Mesoamerica is the Olmec. It appears they are the genesis of most of the aspects of the Mesoamerican cultures. The form of their government, pyramid-temple building, writing, astronomy, art, mathematics, economics and religion became the template for succeeding cultures. The questions of where the Olmec received their inspiration and knowledge, not to mention the required force, to create the Mesoamerican culture is rarely examined deeply.
Cultural Development and Deterioration
The cultures of Mesoamerica that developed the most from the Olmec beginnings were the Toltec, Teotihuacan and the Mayan. Others like the Aztecs (Mexica) appear to have come from the north then imitated the culture. Still their outer cultural imitation was absorbed and became part of them. By the time the Spanish came to the New World most of the cultures then existing were in decline. What cultural elements kept them alive and what ones became literal and thus contributed to their decline?
