The following is a summary of Flip Arnold's Lecture in Chicago about
the Olmec:

Philip Arnold has been conducting a survey of the Tuxtlas mountians
looking for social development, craft specilization etc.
So far they have covered 400km squared of land.

Basic Intro of the Olmec: dates, definition based on art style,
slides of ceramics, etc.

Recent developments in Olmec fieldwork:
- El Manati--P. Ortiz, 86-89. First studied in the 1980s. Site with
wooden busts, hachas (jade, basalt, serpentine, etc). No evidence for
occupation, but clear indications of continuous reuse throughout
time. Busts wrapped in vegetation and/or palm leaves, rubber balls.
Dated to 1400bce.
- San Lorenzo (SLT)--Ann Cyphers-Guillen (1990-current). Most of the
misconceptions of this site are from the Coe/Diehl work.
1) NOT an effigy mound. Actually salt dome built up over time through
occupation debris. Arnold states this is evidence that the
Olmec were not as Socio-Politically advanced as would be assumed from
the need to construct the bird-effigy mound.
Arnold notes that the El Manati dome is visible from SLT-- possibly
people from SLT deposited items in the El Manati spring.
Mention of the Porter article demonstrating monument reworking, reuse
of basalt resources.
- Laguna de los Cerros--Excavated by Medellin in 1960s. La Venta
looking site, but smaller scale. Olmec artifacts also found in
Classic contexts. Grove and Gillespie suggest site controls basalt
route.
- Llano de Jicara--small basalt workshop approx. 10km from Laguna de
los Cerros. Excavated by Gillespie, only know basalt workshop on the
coast.

Philip Arnold's work:
  Has been studying Matacapan. Along with Robert Santley conducted
settlement survey of the Tuxtlas (along river routes and the more
likely overland routes) in 91-92 to get a regional perspective.
  Conclusion: The Tuxtla settlements and the Gulf Coast ones are very
aware of each other (similar motifs in art), but behave in very
different ways.
  Less than 5 Formative period mounds. Ceramic scatters seen with
artifacts similar to those at SLT or late El Manati.
  Ilmenite 'beads' found in Tuxtlas (note: literally tons of this
stuff at SLT). Coe suggests the plates on the new SLT head are
actually ilmenite beads. Raw material of these beads from Oaxaca.
  Evidence of maize from pollen at 2800bce.
  Increase in population seen from 1000-400bce. La Joya and
Teotepec emerge.
  Volcanic eruption around 900bce w/ 40cm ash layer left in area--
migration downstream.
  Still classified as 'large village' sites. No evidence of central
control seen. No evidence of hierarchy. Clear evidence of
communication with the Gulf.

Conclusion:
  Recent work forces revision of theocratic, mother culture theories
of the Olmec.
  Pacific coast with large sites that predate Olmec. Supports
Hammond's 'Sister Culture' idea.
  Groups chose to share some info and not others.
  Basically we need to move from the 'Jade and Jaguar' view to the
more mundane, every-day aspects of Formative life.


Suzanne: t20mgt1@corn.cso.niu.edu and
Flip (Philip Arnold): parnold@luc.edu