The Epi-Olmec culture is a term used to describe the period following the decline of the Olmec civilization around 400 BCE, and it extends to approximately 200 CE. This phase in Mesoamerican history is marked by a continuation and evolution of the Olmec artistic and cultural traditions, although with noticeable influences from other emerging cultures.
After the collapse of the Olmec civilization, which was one of the earliest complex societies in Mesoamerica, several successor cultures emerged. The Epi-Olmec culture is particularly associated with the region that was once the heartland of the Olmecs, in what is now the states of Veracruz and Tabasco in Mexico. This period is crucial for understanding the transition between the Preclassic and Classic periods of Mesoamerican history.
Key sites associated with the Epi-Olmec include:
There is evidence that the Epi-Olmec societies were organized into chiefdoms or early states, with leaders who wielded both political and religious power. The existence of monumental architecture and public works suggests a degree of social stratification and a centralized authority.
The decline of the Epi-Olmec is not well-documented, but it likely transitioned into other regional cultures like the Maya and Teotihuacan, which began to dominate Mesoamerica in the Classic Period.