WHAT IS THE DRESS OF THE OLMECS LIKE? - HISTORY - 2025

The clothing of the Olmecs is characterized by its thorough preparation and pigmentation with natural colors. The Olmecs are one of the civilizations that developed during the Middle Preclassic Period (1200 BC and 400 BC).

It is not known exactly who its predecessors were, but it is a culture considered the first Mesoamerican and therefore it was the forerunner of the Mayans, the Toltecs and the Aztecs. As the founder of pre-Columbian cultures, this ethnic group lived in the lowlands of central and southern Mexico.

In the Nahuatl indigenous language, the Olmec word means "People of the rubber country." And the term was used by researchers Valliant and Saville for the first time at the end of the 1920s to refer to the components of this culture, which was characterized by having carved monumental stone heads.

These were discovered in different archaeological sites in what is known as the Olmec nuclear area. Today different achievements are attributed to the Olmec civilization, especially in what refers to architecture.

How did the Olmecs dress?

Much of what is known about their dress has been discovered by their sculptures and figurines, as well as by the vestiges of their culture that have been found over the years.

In the Olmec culture cotton was cultivated and therefore this was in abundance. For this reason, their clothing was made mainly with this textile.

In addition, the pieces used by the members of this society should have lightness as their main characteristic due to the environment in which they were found.

For their part, the Olmecs were located in geographical areas of high temperatures. Therefore, it was essential to have light textile clothing.

An especially remarkable characteristic of the clothes of the Olmec culture were the geometric designs. These could be found not only in clothing, but also in the accessories they used.

The members of this civilization made use of a great variety of materials. Among these were leather, gold, and jade. Thus, the more complex their ornamentation, the greater the social status they represented.

Next, I leave you some of the characteristics of the dresses and clothes typical of the members of this ancestral community:

Olmec women's clothing

The women of the Olmec culture, specifically those of higher castes, used to wear dresses made with cotton and dyed with natural pigments.

The accessories were characteristic in this civilization, therefore the women used to use them of different types. They used from necklaces and bracelets to earrings, which could be made of gold or jade

As for the ornaments on the head, women used to wear headdresses. These were made of different materials and styles.

And when it comes to footwear, the sandals were made of leather and decorated with different precious stones.

But not all women in the Olmec culture dressed in this way. Many of them also wore skirts and could even expose their breasts. Due to the climate of the areas where this civilization was located, which used to be hot, it was not necessary to have too elaborate clothing.

Olmec men's clothing

With regard to the way of dressing of the men of the Olmec culture there are also peculiarities. Rulers, chiefs and members of high society used to wear loincloths made of cotton and leather, accompanied by decorative inlays of gold and jade.

In addition to the loincloth, Olmec men added a cape to their attire. Like other pieces of clothing, these capes were made of cotton and used to have geometric embroidery.

Women weren't the only ones wearing headdresses and accessories. Men also used to wear these ornaments made of various materials and with very varied styles on their heads.

And as for accessories, they used to wear necklaces, wristbands, bracelets, earrings on the arms, among other things. All these elements were created in gold or jade.

And if we talk about footwear, it also had its peculiarities. Men wore sandals and shin guards made of leather and often decorated with precious stones such as jade. On the other hand, Olmec men also tattooed themselves with vegetable inks.

Other details of the Olmec culture

Like most societies, the Olmec civilization was stratified. It was made up of a minority that not only had different social privileges but were also the ones who handled politics. Those who were part of this class were priests and warriors.

The Olmecs were a theocratic society. Therefore its supreme head was a priest. The entire geographical and social environment was governed by religion. And this was also the basis of the administrative organization.

Civilization was organized into tribes. And in them lived families that were led by a single chief who was called Chichimecatl.

The rest of Olmec society were peasants who used to live in villages. It was these who were in charge of the cultivation of the land and the construction of the ceremonial centers.

Women, for their part, were engaged in activities such as making clay utensils, spinning and obviously taking care of children.

Regarding the economy of the Olmec culture, it was centered on agriculture. The lands they inhabited were especially good for this type of activity.

Not only were they incredibly fertile, but they also had a climate characterized by abundant rainfall. And additionally they had floodwaters of nearby rivers. Like almost all ancient civilizations, the Olmecs were also fishermen and hunters.

Olmec society ended up disappearing as a result of rivalries with other populations. These disagreements generated wars, which caused the destruction of the Olmec cities.

Little by little, the Olmecs disintegrated until they finally left their areas.

References

1. Mesoamerican indigenous peoples. (without date). Olmecs. Recovered from elbibliote.com.
2. Florescano, E. (undated). The Olmecs: the first kingdom of Mesoamerica. Magazine of the University of Mexico. Recovered from revistadelauniversidad.unam.mx.