<P> The Olmecs were the earliest known major civilization in Mexico following a progressive development in Soconusco . They lived in the tropical lowlands of south - central Mexico, in the present - day states of Veracruz and Tabasco . It has been speculated that the Olmecs derive in part from neighboring Mokaya or Mixe--Zoque . </P> <P> The Olmecs flourished during Mesoamerica's formative period, dating roughly from as early as 1500 BCE to about 400 BCE . Pre-Olmec cultures had flourished in the area since about 2500 BCE, but by 1600--1500 BCE, early Olmec culture had emerged, centered on the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán site near the coast in southeast Veracruz . They were the first Mesoamerican civilization, and laid many of the foundations for the civilizations that followed . Among other "firsts", the Olmec appeared to practice ritual bloodletting and played the Mesoamerican ballgame, hallmarks of nearly all subsequent Mesoamerican societies . The aspect of the Olmecs most familiar now is their artwork, particularly the aptly named "colossal heads". The Olmec civilization was first defined through artifacts which collectors purchased on the pre-Columbian art market in the late 19th century and early 20th century . Olmec artworks are considered among ancient America's most striking . </P> <P> The name' Olmec' comes from the Nahuatl word for the Olmecs: Ōlmēcatl (oːlˈmeːkat͡ɬ) (singular) or Ōlmēcah (oːlˈmeːkaʔ) (plural). This word is composed of the two words ōlli (ˈoːlːi), meaning "rubber", and mēcatl (ˈmeːkat͡ɬ), meaning "people", so the word means "rubber people". </P>

The cultural core of early olmec civilization was located at