The Utilization of Hematite in the Olmec Capital of San Lorenzo, Veracruz

One of the principal objectives of hematite exploitation by the Olmec culture of the Lower Pre-Classic in San Lorenzo, Veracruz, revolves around its utilization as a building material in edifices both domestic and ceremonial. This paper discusses the case of the Palacio Rojo, where the floors were prepared with hematite, and presents some inferences concerning the exploitation, transportation, preparation and meaning of this material.

Ana Cyphers earned her Ph.D. at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in 1987 and is today a tenured Researcher at the Institute for Anthropological Research there. She has conducted archaeological research at the Chalcatzingo, Xochicalco, San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán and Laguna de los Cerros sites with a specific focus on the Pre-Classic period and Olmec culture.