La+Venta

__**La Venta**__ La Venta was one of the main Olmec cities. Along with San Lorenzo, these two cities made up the center of Olmec civilization. La Venta was located on the modern day border of the Tabasco and Veracruz states. It was built on an island in the Tonala River on the Gulf Coast of Mexico. However, this area later became a swamp. All of the major buildings in La Venta were aligned with stars. Also, many intricate mosiacs and carved heads were found in La Venta. Like San Lorenzo, La Venta was mainly a religious and trading center. The methods used to obtain food by the people of La Venta were quite similar to those used in San Lorenzo; they used a combination of hunting, fishing, and some agriculture.

Back to Unit 1 Terms

__Sources__: Information from: Picture from:
 * "La Venta." __Britannica__. Britannica. 3 Sept. 2008 http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/326610/la-venta#tab=active~checked%2citems~checked&title=la%20venta%20--%20britannica%20online%20encyclopedia.
 * "La Venta." __MNSU__. Minnesota State University. 3 Sept. 2008 http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/meso_america/la_venta.html.
 * "La Venta." __Wikipedia__. 31 May 2008. Wikipedia. 3 Sept. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/la_venta.

Created by Hampton Webb on 9/3/08