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Mexican Archaeologists Find 2,800-Year-Old Monument [ Olmecs ]
Latin American Herald Tribune ^ | Thursday, July 28, 2011 | EFE

Posted on 07/29/2011 9:25:44 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

A group of Mexican archaeologists have discovered a 1.5 ton stone relief from the Olmec culture created more than 2,800 years ago, the National Institute of Archaeology and History, or INAH, said.

The discovery was made at the archaeological site of Chalcatzingo in Morelos state, "the only pre-Columbian site known in central Mexico with large bas-reliefs," INAH said in a communique.

The work -- standing more than 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall -- was discovered in late April on the north slope of Chalcatzingo as archaeologists were building a containing wall and protective roofs for the other monoliths in the area.

Sculpted on the stone are three cats sitting in profile, looking west and surrounded by great scroll decorations.

The relief was found broken in 11 pieces, which the experts spent May and June restoring, so that only now is it possible "to admire the triad of felines in their entirety," INAH said.

Since the first explorations there in the 1930s, some 41 monuments have been discovered in Chalcatzingo up to now, four of which have cat figures, animals feared and venerated by the Olmecs, who inhabited the area between the years 800-500 B.C., a period known as the Middle Pre-Classical.

Experts believe that the Olmecs, the first civilization in the Americas to leave monumental architecture and sculptures, built a frieze all along the Chalcatzingo hill.

The Olmec civilization flourished between 1800 B.C. and A.D. 400 in the region occupied today by the states of Veracruz and Tabasco.

(Excerpt) Read more at laht.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; mexico; olmec; olmecs; shang
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Mexican Archaeologists Find 2,800-Year-Old Monument

1 posted on 07/29/2011 9:25:47 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

 GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach
To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.


2 posted on 07/29/2011 9:27:06 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Yes, as a matter of fact, it is that time again -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: Godzilla; Tennessee Nana; ejonesie22; MarkBsnr; greyfoxx39; Elsie; Colofornian

Nephite *cough* archeology ping.


3 posted on 07/29/2011 9:28:12 AM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian - "I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see")
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To: SunkenCiv
Did the Olmecs have house cats? (like Egyptians)

Or are these Jaguars?

4 posted on 07/29/2011 9:36:48 AM PDT by RadiationRomeo (Step into my mind and glimpse the madness that is me)
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To: SunkenCiv

It is always frustrating to me when a newspaper or journal reports on something like this and they do not include a picture. ARRRRG!


5 posted on 07/29/2011 9:41:09 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
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To: Red_Devil 232
"It is always frustrating to me when a newspaper or journal reports on something like this and they do not include a picture. ARRRRG!"
6 posted on 07/29/2011 9:52:05 AM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: Red_Devil 232

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/12081


7 posted on 07/29/2011 9:52:54 AM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: RadiationRomeo

If those are their house pets I’m goin’ back in my own house!


8 posted on 07/29/2011 9:54:53 AM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: Beowulf9

Thank You! Those are not pets!


9 posted on 07/29/2011 10:01:50 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
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To: SunkenCiv

This is amusing if you follow the online comic Wapsi Square. It is about a girl museum archeologist in Minneapolis, surrounded by supernatural events and beings, most of whom look like young women, but with vast powers.

You do have to start from the beginning. Sometimes adult themed.


10 posted on 07/29/2011 10:08:29 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: Beowulf9

The ‘cats’ they revered and feared were a bit larger than the typical house cat. They were panthers or jaguars, or whatever large feline that was in the jungles at the time.


11 posted on 07/29/2011 10:14:01 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: Red_Devil 232
Thank You! Those are not pets!

The one on the left looks a lot like Garfield, though.

12 posted on 07/29/2011 10:15:11 AM PDT by Grut
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To: Beowulf9

square teeth??? oh well, bet they’d give the viking kitties some pause...


13 posted on 07/29/2011 11:08:32 AM PDT by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: reaganaut

*snort*


14 posted on 07/29/2011 11:34:43 AM PDT by Godzilla (3-7-77)
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To: RadiationRomeo

Look sort of like Honey Badgers.


15 posted on 07/29/2011 11:58:35 AM PDT by FlyingEagle
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To: Beowulf9

PRAISE Moroni!!

The BoM is TRUE!!!!


16 posted on 07/29/2011 12:14:31 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

17 posted on 07/29/2011 12:22:26 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Beowulf9

When I see those images, I find similarities with Indian, Asian, and Pacific NW native Indian art.


18 posted on 07/29/2011 12:59:47 PM PDT by spyone (ridiculum)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

Thanks yefragetuwrabrumuy.


19 posted on 07/29/2011 6:56:33 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Yes, as a matter of fact, it is that time again -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: RadiationRomeo

Jaguars, and on occasion it was vice versa. “Mmmm, Purrrr, Olmec buffet...”


20 posted on 07/29/2011 7:01:26 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Yes, as a matter of fact, it is that time again -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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