CONTENTS

GEOGRAPHY OF SITE AREAS .   .     .     .    .     .    .       1
HISTORY OF RESEARCH ON THE COLOSSAL HEADS  .    .       .       7

Discovery and Description  .    .     .    .     .     .      7
Opinions on Racial Affiliations          .    .               8
Sources of Stone     .    .                                   9
Removal to Present Locations                           .      9
The Colossal Heads in Relation to the Olmecs                 10
Bibliographies  .    .     .    .     .    .     .           13
DESCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUAL COLOSSAL HEADS

Introduction      .       .     .                            14
La Venta Colossal Heads                                .     19
Tres Zapotes Colossal Head No. 1 .    .    .     .     .     28
Nestepe Colossal Head No. 1 .   .     .    .     .     .     30
San Lorenzo Colossal Heads      .                            33
STYLISTIC COMPARISON OF THE COLOSSAL HEADS   .     .    .      44

Ear Ornaments  .     .     .    .     .    .     .     .     50
Decorative Elements on Headdresses                           51
Chin Straps    .     .    .     .     .    .     .     .     52
Nasions              .     .                                 52
Stone Source            .    .     .    .     .       .      53
Weight    .    .     .     .    .     .    .     .     .     53
Iris Form                                                    54
Mouth Form              .             .    .                 55
Narrow Ridges Outlining Lips    .     .    .     .     .     56
Purposeful Defacement .   .     .     .    .     .    .      56
Conclusions                                                  57
SCULPTURING TECHNIQUES      .                                 63
WEATHERING AND MUTILATION      .     .     .    .       .      68

Duration of Exposure to the Elements  .    .     .    .      68
Differences in Rock Composition  .    .    .     .    .      69
Intentional Mutilation    .     .                            70

Sharpening Grooves  .    .    .     .    .     .    .      71
Rectangular Niches  .    .    .     .       .  .    .      78
Gouges  .    .     .     .    .     .    .     .    .      80
Ground Pits with Dimples  .   .     .    .     .    .      80
Summary     .     .     .    .     .       .     .    .      83

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APPENDIX I: ELEMENT OCCURRENCE ON COLOSSAL HEADS   .                  86
APPENDIX II:  OTHER LARGE STONE HEADS IN SOUTHERN MESOAMERICA         89
ADDENDUM                                                              95
EXPLANATION OF ILLUSTRATIONS                                          97
ILLUSTRATIONS                                                        100
BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                         164

Map 1.  Olmec Area                                                   xii
Map 2.  Tres Zapotes Mound Groups         .     .        .     .       3
Map 3.  Plan of Central Group at La Venta    .     .     .     .       4

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CONTENTS

GEOGRAPHY OF SITE AREAS .   .     .     .    .     .    .       1
HISTORY OF RESEARCH ON THE COLOSSAL HEADS  .    .       .       7

Discovery and Description  .    .     .    .     .     .      7
Opinions on Racial Affiliations          .    .               8
Sources of Stone     .    .                                   9
Removal to Present Locations                           .      9
The Colossal Heads in Relation to the Olmecs                 10
Bibliographies  .    .     .    .     .    .     .           13
DESCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUAL COLOSSAL HEADS

Introduction      .       .     .                            14
La Venta Colossal Heads                                .     19
Tres Zapotes Colossal Head No. 1 .    .    .     .     .     28
Nestepe Colossal Head No. 1 .   .     .    .     .     .     30
San Lorenzo Colossal Heads      .                            33
STYLISTIC COMPARISON OF THE COLOSSAL HEADS   .     .    .      44

Ear Ornaments  .     .     .    .     .    .     .     .     50
Decorative Elements on Headdresses                           51
Chin Straps    .     .    .     .     .    .     .     .     52
Nasions              .     .                                 52
Stone Source            .    .     .    .     .       .      53
Weight    .    .     .     .    .     .    .     .     .     53
Iris Form                                                    54
Mouth Form              .             .    .                 55
Narrow Ridges Outlining Lips    .     .    .     .     .     56
Purposeful Defacement .   .     .     .    .     .    .      56
Conclusions                                                  57
SCULPTURING TECHNIQUES      .                                 63
WEATHERING AND MUTILATION      .     .     .    .       .      68

Duration of Exposure to the Elements  .    .     .    .      68
Differences in Rock Composition  .    .    .     .    .      69
Intentional Mutilation    .     .                            70

Sharpening Grooves  .    .    .     .    .     .    .      71
Rectangular Niches  .    .    .     .       .  .    .      78
Gouges  .    .     .     .    .     .    .     .    .      80
Ground Pits with Dimples  .   .     .    .     .    .      80
Summary     .     .     .    .     .       .     .    .      83

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