Olmec and Preclassic Mesoamerican Foodways (c. 1500–400 BCE)

1. Maize domestication begins in the Balsas region

   Jan 1, 6700 BCELabels: Balsas region, Maize

   • Temple Now
   • Earth Home

2. Early pottery supports boiling, storage, and serving

   Jan 1, 2500 BCELabels: Pottery, Early Preclassic

   • Yale HRAF

3. Chemical evidence shows cacao drinks in use

   Jan 1, 1900 BCELabels: Cacao, Pacific coast

   • Yale HRAF

4. El Manatí offerings include early cacao residue

   Jan 1, 1750 BCELabels: El Manat, Cacao

   • Yale HRAF
   • El Manat

5. Rubber processing enables heavy rubber ball making

   Jan 1, 1600 BCELabels: Rubber processing, Gulf Coast

   • MIT Module
   • Springer study

6. El Manatí deposits include early rubber balls

   Jan 1, 1600 BCELabels: El Manat, Rubber balls

   • Met Museum
   • Springer study

7. San Lorenzo grows into an early Olmec center

   Jan 1, 1400 BCELabels: San Lorenzo, Olmec

   • Britannica
   • JAS paper

8. Long-distance trade supplies obsidian to San Lorenzo

   Jan 1, 1200 BCELabels: Obsidian, San Lorenzo

   • JAS paper

9. Olmec foodways emphasize diverse crops and wild protein

   Jan 1, 1100 BCELabels: Olmec, Diets

   • Olmecs

10. San Lorenzo declines as La Venta rises

    Jan 1, 900 BCELabels: San Lorenzo, La Venta

    • Britannica
    • Britannica

11. La Venta becomes a major ceremonial-feasting center

    Jan 1, 800 BCELabels: La Venta, Feasting

    • Britannica

12. Earliest known ceramic comals appear in Mesoamerica

    Jan 1, 700 BCELabels: Comal, Ceramics

    • Comal

13. La Venta is destroyed and Olmec centers are abandoned

    Jan 1, 400 BCELabels: La Venta, Olmec decline

    • World History
    • Olmecs