ARTHIST 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Las Limas Monument 1, Jadeite, Basalt
Document Summary
Lecture name: spirituality in chavin and olmec art. A reoccurring motif in olmec art is the royal families which presided over the civilization and took many religious responsibilities. The olmec culture was one of the first majour mesoamerican art styles and held many characteristic key figures: Monumental stone carvings that glorified a ruler. Ceramics, architecture, and the development of the ball game (the ball game was an important religious ritual and the game of the gods ) The use of precious stones such as jade shows that there was an extensive trade network in place and that the olmec culture held great importance in ancient. A decorative tool, used for aesthetic purposes and not utility. Why is it important: the kunz axe is a tool that would have never actually been used and had purely aesthetic purposes. This hints that the object was probably owned by someone who high importance who never needed to work.
