Archaeological excavations and research history of Olmec sites (late 19th century–present)

1. First reported Olmec colossal head discovery

   Jan 1, 1862Labels: Jos Mar

   • Tres Zapotes
   • Heads
   • BHA

2. First detailed descriptions of La Venta

   Jan 1, 1925Labels: La Venta, Frans Blom

   • La Venta

3. Stirling begins Smithsonian work at Tres Zapotes

   Jan 1, 1938Labels: Matthew Stirling, Tres Zapotes

   • Stirling bio
   • Stirling

4. Stirling excavations at Tres Zapotes and Stela C

   Jan 1, 1939Labels: Stela C, Tres Zapotes

   • Nature 1946
   • Stirling photo

5. First major excavations at La Venta begin

   Jan 1, 1940Labels: La Venta, Philip Drucker

   • La Venta
   • Nature 1946

6. La Venta field seasons conclude (Stirling–Drucker)

   Jan 1, 1943Labels: La Venta, Complex A

   • La Venta

7. San Lorenzo colossal head prompts site investigations

   Jan 1, 1945Labels: San Lorenzo, colossal head

   • Heads
   • Nature 1946

8. Major 1946 season at San Lorenzo reported

   Sep 7, 1946Labels: San Lorenzo, Smithsonian

   • Nature 1946
   • Stirling bio

9. Drucker publishes La Venta excavation monographs

   Jan 1, 1952Labels: Philip Drucker, La Venta

   • La Venta

10. San Lorenzo naming standardized in Stirling’s 1955 usage

    Jan 1, 1955Labels: San Lorenzo, Matthew Stirling

    • Nature 1946

11. La Venta 1955 excavations documented in BAE Bulletin

    Jan 1, 1959Labels: La Venta, BAE Bulletin

    • Cambridge rev

12. San Lorenzo Project launches under Ann Cyphers (UNAM)

    Jan 1, 1990Labels: San Lorenzo, Ann Cyphers

    • UNAM book
    • Cambridge

13. Tenth San Lorenzo colossal head discovered

    May 1, 1994Labels: San Lorenzo, colossal head

    • San Lorenzo
    • Heads

14. Science publishes San Andrés writing-related finds

    Dec 6, 2002Labels: San Andr, La Venta

    • PubMed