The ancient "Olmec’s" of Mexico and Mesoamerica are one of the most intriguing civilizations of the Americas. In fact, they are the first civilization in Mexico and it was from them that all other civilizations in Mesoamerica followed. There society emerged from around 1200 B.C. to about 400 and they settled in the forests, savannas, and rivers of the Gulf of Mexico. Yet, the theories of the Olmec’s origins strike a controversy that’s baffling between many scholars. Studies done by researchers such as Ivan Van Sertima have presented evidence that identifies the Olmec’s with the Mandé people of West Africa. According to Betty Meggers of the Smithsonian Institution the Olmec civilization originated due to Shang Chinese influences around 1200 BC.
The ancient Olmec’s of Mexico and Central America were a fascinating people. Upon the discovery of colossal stone heads in Mexico during the early part of the twentieth Century, there was no doubt that the facial features and hair texture (including cornrows) represented in the colossal Olmec sculpture represented African people. The assertion that the Olmec came from Africa is supported with scientific evidence via genetics, writings, religion, language and archaeology. To elaborate, the Olmec’s were not Indians with "baby faces," or Indians who looked like Blacks. They were Africans no different from Africans found in the Mende regions of West Africa. Studies done by Ivan Van Sertima show that the Olmec’s used the Mende script, a writing system used among the Mandinkas and other Africans in West Africa. When the writings on Olmec monuments were translated, it was found that the language spoken by the Olmec’s was Mende. Also, The Olmec’s practiced a religion and astronomical sciences identical to those practiced by Africans in the Mali region and Nigeria today. Evidently, it’s clear that there are numerous amount of evidence to back up the theory of Olmec’s origin coming from Africa.
Additionally, not only are their theories relating Olmec origins to African but also to that of China. In fact, researchers have debated that the Olmec civilization emerged with the help of Chinese refugees, to that of the end of the Shang dynasty. Traits shared between the Shang China and Olmec include writing, jade, batons and symbols of ranks, worship of mountains, feline deity etc. Evidence from Betty Meggers stated that “the writing on the Olmec Celts and the Shang writing styles are analogous.” The eminent archaeologist Gordon Ekholm (1964) went so far as to suggest that elements of the Olmec art style might have originated in Bronze Age China. There are many stylistic similarities between the art of ancient china and Olmec Mexico, suggesting very similar cultural beliefs and traditions between these that were contemporaneous. Apparently the strong cultural ties and art/writing styles suggest that the initiative starting of Olmec’s origin could have been traced back to ancient china. To epitomize, due to the great relations between the theories of Olmec’s alternative origins starting whether in Africa or China, it’s both intriguing and difficult to determine the truth to Olmec’s origin.