The Olmecs were a civilization in the south gulf area of Mexico around Veracruz and Tabasco. They existed between 1200 BCE and 400 BCE. Of American civilizations, the moundbuilders of the US, the Olmecs and Toltecs of Mexico, are all mysterious. Looking at the Olmec culture, I couldn't help noticing something that I will share here -
Below - on the left is an Olmec giant statue. On the right - a person from the Marquesas Islands of the South Pacific.
Our first clue about the Olmecs is their location along the coastline. These people seem to be related to a Polynesian heritage. The Karankawa indians of the Texas Coastline (same Gulf) had ear spools and tattoos. They live a very Polynesian-like lifestyle.
Spanish explorers noted that the Karankawa had very long bows for hunting, very tall. They elongated the heads of their people. They slept out in the open year-round and even bathed babies in the cold water. Like other tribes exposed to Europeans, the Coastal ones, such as Florida, Texas, Baja, and Easter Island were especially vulnerable to Europeaen diseases. They were also reported to be tall.
Today, it becomes exceedingly difficult to DNA source tribes like the Baja Pericue, the Texas Karankawa, and Olmecs, as they died off.
What we can do is look for physical similiarities to tribes like the Olmec, study their art and influences, to find out perhaps where they came from. Then, we must discuss how they departed.
Olmec figurine
Polynesian art - squatting figure, bulging eyes
Karankawa head gear
Olmec colossal head statues head gear
The Olmecs played ball games. What we know about ancient Polynesians is - Traditional ancient Polynesian cultures featured dexterity, target, and hand-eye coordination games involving ball-like objects or rounded items, rather than large team ball sports like those found in Mesoamerica.
Looking from ancient Polynesia to the Olmecs, it's rather like comparing how America left Europe and over time became their own style, their own take on things.
So far, archaeologists and anthropologists claim the settling of Polynesia was from 1000 BCE to 800 CE. What we don't know is if they got their culture from a pre-existing civilization, such as the Rapa Nui of Easter Island claiming their people arrived to find the "long-earred folks" (ear spools?) The Olmecs could be from that prior culture that influenced Polynesia.
Is it possible that a South Pacific Island prior race could end up in the Gulf of America?
More evidence shows that it's quite possible they landed in Gulf of California and either took to the land or made their way around Patagonia (Magellan named it Patagonia "big feet" for the tall coastal people there.
I have some other proof to present to this case.
In the early 2000s, an experienced explorer and researcher came across a hidden cave in New Mexico, obstructed by many plants. Being a person who finds hidden caves, he wasn't surprised until he and his partner stepped inside and found this -
The cave appeared to be carved out and to the left in the photo, one can see the hand carved into the rock. The floor was covered with flat stacked stones into a dias of a sort, with two sets of statues inside. When I studied these, it became apparent I had seen similar somewhere else -
closeup of one set of statues, squatting, butts attached, and eyes bulging.
Closeup of second set
Marquesas Islands
Marquesas Islands art
It is my greatest wish to find this cave. I've talked to the elderly explorer and he had kidney stones and was very sick when they entered the cave. They had to rush to another state's hospital to get him taken care and that was over a week's stay. He didn't understand the potential of what he found and life got in the way, so he headed back to the Northwest. With other expeditions underway, he forgot the find. His partner passed away. I have a general idea of the area in New Mexico and hope to get a team there some time.
Repeatedly, we heard of Rapa Nui at Easter Island and other Polynesians arriving to islands in the South Pacific and one has to wonder if the ancient art and structures were based on prior culture there and those influences led to their Polynesian style we know now.
I am reminded of Egypts pyramids - obviously not made by ancient Egyptians or the Teotihuacan pyramis in Mexico that the Aztecs moved into and took over, hundreds or even thousands of years after the original builder were gone.
Here in America, we have the mystery of the mound culture and early miners, as well. Amerindians have many tales of the prior "tribe" of advanced people.
giant stone spheres in Costa Rica
Moai statues of Easter Island
The Natives found by Europeans in the Americas and South Pacific did not exhibit advanced use of stonework and mining, etc. They lived among these things from a prior time. Who actually constructed them? We know that it is not in human nature to quite a technology one worked long and hard to refine, exerting much muscle and effort, and then go backwards in construction and purpose.
Like you and I are living in America and Europe walk among buildings built at the beginning of our country's existence, so did the Indigenous People live among the remains of the priors.
But, who were the priors? Much more coming on that subject!