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Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Ancient Maya origins reconsidered
From the LA Times (via SFGate.com):
New theory on genesis of Mesoamerican culture
Analysis of 3,000-year-old pottery shards from the ancient Olmec capital of San Lorenzo contradicts the notion among some researchers that the Olmec civilization was the "mother culture" that laid the foundation for the Inca, Maya and other civilizations of Central and South America.
Impressed by these sculptures in the 1940s, artist Miguel Covarrubias argued that the Olmec must have been the progenitors of the other cultures in the area. In one form or another, this idea has been roiling the often contentious world of Mesoamerican archaeology for at least 50 years.
Posted by Will at August 2, 2005 04:21 PM in Maya Archaeology