Development of Graffiti as an Art Form

Development of Graffiti as an Art Form Graffiti: The Urban Canvas The Development of Graffiti as Art There are many ways in which the Graffiti we see today has developed over time to become known and recognised as an art form. However, it is a controversial subject often covered by journalists in the media as to whether Graffiti today is an up to date urban artistic development or simply mindless vandalism as often thought by society. The history of Graffiti can date back as early as prehistoric cave paintings and stone carvings created by early man to tell and record stories and news of the day. Using stone tools and natural pigments, which over time have developed into similar tools and materials that artists also use at present, produced these pieces. However, we can start to relate the conventional lettering we see today with the style of Roman Graffiti. The Romans would create signs and notices on the walls of buildings and businesses. An example of this was when Brothels would advertise business. The most recognisable motif behind Graffiti, particularly from the twentieth century into the twenty-first century would be music. Rock and Roll music of the nineteen-fifties and sixties proved as influential to youth then as it does now. One of the most famously photographed pieces of graffiti during this time was the Clapton is God slogan that one young fan of Musician Eric Clapton spraypainted onto a wall in London. This proved music had become influential upon youth culture within society. Not only this, but the effects of American culture on the impressionable juveniles of London. Rock and Roll, many say was the start of younger peoples rebellion in their teen years and the Graffiti that occurred to publicise fans love for their favoured band is strong evidence of this. Although, not so much as the effects of American Hip Hop from the eighties continuing on until the present day. Hip-Hop culture truly became popular in the nineteen-eighties, originating on the streets of New Yor k in the late nineteen-seventies. Hip-Hop Graffiti started to move from the subways to the streets in favour of the gang culture that started to arise with the increased popularity of the movement. Like many, the artist Jean Michel Basquiat started his artistic career in the music industry, associating with several Hip-Hop musicians who began in New York. In his time Another popular theme strongly associated with the increasing popularity of Graffiti is Politics. Graffiti has always been a tool for people to speak their mind, but its power has evolved over time from simple war propaganda of World War One and Two, to heightened political ridicule focused on the English and U.S governments current involvement in the war in Iraq and combating Terrorism. Graffiti has the advantage of being read by thousands of people. True, that speech is also effective but it seems that Graffiti has that edge when it comes to putting a point across. Graffiti can last a lot longer than words and its almost eerie silence to say something yet simply appear in a matter of seconds emerges as a bold statement and can be as big or small as its creator insists. Of course not all political Graffiti that has emerged over the years has been positive. For instance, during World War two, Nazi occupancy in Europe encouraged the etching of Swastikas and Anti-Semitic phrases such a s schweizer wehrt euch, kauft nicht bei Juden! meaning, Dont buy, Jews! Which were scribbled on Jewish occupied businesses in bold lettering. Even still, such political and social prejudices still exist through Graffiti. An example of this being the murals that have been painted on the sides of houses, buildings and walls in Northern Ireland to represent IRA territory and power or protests against the establishment. Such pieces of Graffiti seem to be overhanging reminders of the current political situation that drastically effects the area. Furthermore the subject of crime has always had a lot of association with Graffiti. Even though countless individuals see Graffiti as art nowadays, there is still very much the stereotypical belief that a spray can used on a wall to create an image constitutes vandalism. Sadly, crime is a contradicting element to Graffiti. An example of the law against Graffiti is a statement released by police in Norfolk, England, declaring A neglected physical environment is unsafe as it undermines pride in the local community that can lead to further degradation. It can also trigger other anti-social behaviour activities. It is therefore very important that Graffiti crime is stamped out and offenders challenged and penalised for it. Graffiti should be removed swiftly and offenders prevented from doing it again. which is clearly a tool of propaganda in recruiting people to stamp out Graffiti, whatever its purpose or appearance. However, there is a very important matter concerning chalk marks left b y burglars on the walls of homes or residences to signify the significant details of the establishment. For example, a circle with a cross through it, to indicate there is nothing of interest here. Perhaps more disturbingly though an upside down triangle with a wavy line on top denotes that a burglar knows that women live here alone. This shows that seemingly harmless markings in chalk that to an innocent eye could be made by a child encourage burglary and perhaps other crimes on top of this. One of the most notable issues that occurred, however, from the late eighties into the nineties, particularly in New York with the Hip Hop gang culture, was the vast increase in drug crime and demise of safety on the streets. As a consequence, the amount of graffiti artists and writers diminished as it was deemed too unsafe to walk the streets for fear of being shot, for example. It seems that within todays society the main argument is finding the distinction between art and vandalism. Since the development of lettering and tagging, which is the technique of posting your nickname wherever, you have been, there has been the expansion into Graffiti artists creating murals and spray-caned images that look like they should be in galleries. Maybe that is the difference between a conventional painting and a Graffiti piece is that the aim of a painting is to be hung in a gallery, whereas a Graffiti piece is constantly viewed by a very public gallery around the clock. One of the more prominent developments of Graffiti over the past couple of years is the expansion of Graffiti into the art world by existing commercial artists experimenting with techniques often associated with this particular style. Artist Tracy Emin for example has completed etchings and paintings consisting of lettering, random brush strokes and figure outlines. Another element that has contributed to the influx in Graffiti around town is the increase in spray paint products, including various shape nozzles to achieve different spray effects. Therefore it is no wonder that people have started to create larger and more complex pictures and murals because the tools have evolved over the years to make the process easier. However there is an argument with the Graffiti world that there is a clear divide between the commercial artists and the average urban artist. As we can see today, we have become a multicultural society in which we have taken on many different forms of artistic expression to convey issues that we feel matter to us. However, the ways in which this has come about has evolved through time along with the rights of man. Graffiti is a gateway to free speech in many aspects and we have become a lot more able to speak out. The Berlin wall was a good example of demanding peace through graffiti, insisting that divides in society are not the answer. Graffiti has definitely been able to become a form of artistic installation, with the widespread method of producing murals to decorate derelict or downtown communities around the world, such in Brazil and Spain, where it is a celebrated part of youth culture. Graffiti has definitely moved on from being a solely negative aspect of society and developed into a true urban art form, with walls becoming urban canvases of the modern age. Of course there are still those who do still use graffiti as vandalism, but many have now come to recognize graffiti as the major artistic genre of the 21st century.

Filipino Philosophy Essay

Filipino Philosophy is the attitude, worldview, and notion of the natural citizens of the Philippines towards the day-to-day experiences in life, religion, communication, survival, interrelationship with people and intra-relationship with his sakop or to oneself – the â€Å"I,† and the uplifting of one’s soul – the Filipino being. Filipinos are used to be stereotyped as the bamboo grass for it always sway with the wind. The Filipino people has gone through tough and rough times, good and bounty years, and yet they always stand as firm as it was on the day our ancestors fought Magellan. Our own worldview explains why we stand all erect despite economic downfall, political crisis, natural calamities. One thing that is to be observed, everything revolves in relationships, in the sakop, in the upliftment of one’s soul. Justice for the Filipino people is the satisfaction of the needs of the self and his relations. These and more is the pattern of Filipinos which leads to the general behavior of the nation – the philosophy of the Filipinos. It is the critical examination of the grounds for the fundamental beliefs of Filipino being as an individual and as a universal; likewise it is an analysis of the basic concepts employed in the expression of their worldview. Included in this study is the study of Filipino worldview from different tribal groups to mainland people and to the new generation of the modern times. Since it is a study and the Filipinos have a diversity of life as it has a seven thousand one hundred islands, there should also be different branches of Filipino Philosophy of which I categorize as: (1) Ethnolinguistic-Tribal Philosophy where Bicolano, Cebuano, Tagalog, Ilocano Philosphies would fall under; (2) Filipino Philosophy of Religion; (4) Animism and Practices of Filipinos; and (5) other Filipino Phylosophies that Filipino scholars may add and institutionalize that is not or only partially influenced by the Western Philosophy and purely in the Filipino context. Ethnolinguistic-Tribal Philosophy will further explain and discuss the main ideas and the worldviews of the linguistic groups in the country. Particulars bring about the general. Each particular small group philosophies combines into one distinct philosophy which is the Filipino Philosophy. What unites it or what is common among the philosophies? The self or the â€Å"I,† or that individual characteristic – sakop orientedness. The Filipino is more others-centered than self-centered. Filipino basic personality is made up of Filipino beliefs and knowledge that are equated and related to various rituals and formal and informal education passed from generation to generation. The family contributes to and maintains the Filipino values and to the individual self most specially that the Family is part of the â€Å"self† being the â€Å"sakop.† Filipinos value family highly and rely on family relations in defining and seeking help for problems or disorders. The family name is valued more highly than that of the individual. These values bind the individual to the family, making him/her to consider how a decision will impact the family. The Filipino cannot be discussed on a person by person basis. Unlike western practices, a Filipino is not complete without his relationships A Filipino cannot be defined sans family †¦ these are his essential relationships — with one another, with family — and no Pinoy is truly Pinoy without them. This relationship-seeking attitude is most evident when introducing Filipinos in every corner of the country. The basic unit of the Philippine social organization is the family that includes the mother, father and children, and the bilateral extended family that embraces all relatives of the father and the mother. Of special importance is the sibling group, the unit formed by brothers and sisters. There are no clans or similar unilateral kinship groups in the Philippines. The elementary family and the sibling group form the primary bases of corporate action. The Philippine society is characterized as familial. This means that the influence of kinship, which centers on the family, is far-reaching. The Filipino family is the nuclear unit around which social activities are organized – it is the basic unit of corporate action. The interests of the individual in Philippine society are secondary to those of the family. Filipinos have a unique way of establishing kinship without actual blood relations. â€Å"Pakikiramdam† or known as Smooth Interpersonal Relationships is the core identity of the Filipino. It is a natural skill for all Filipinos to read between the lines. He has this internal language to sense the surrounding. Filipinos rarely get involved if they have no personal concern regarding the activity or the project. A Filipino will exert more effort when he/she is related to that specific given task or his name and the name of the â€Å"sakop† is involved. Along with this also arises the need for a personal touch. A simple personal invitation is a hundred times more regarded than any formal written invitation. Filipinos likes to be invited even if it is only a joke and even if it is an occasion within the clan or nearby neighborhood. A neglect of this personality leads to misunderstanding or â€Å"pagdaramdam.† Filipinos usually like to associate themselves with a higher power and, in return, submit to this higher person if the need arises. This is most likely true to the â€Å"Masa† and even to elite people of the Philippines. It becomes the source of their strength and the source of a wall to lean on in times of crisis and in job seeking opportunities. Filipinos value small-group centeredness which can be seen from the word ofkami. A Filipino has a â€Å"barkada† aside from his immediate family where he/she can pour out his/her angst and happy moments with. It is the ultimate manifestation of small-group centeredness because it is a tight bond among friends which dictate what the group would think, do or say. Amor propio, the stubborn pride that Filipinos possess and hold on to despite the situation is another distinct element of being a Filipino. The expression wala ka namang pakikisama easily coerces Filipinos to act in peculiar manners especially if the pakikisama is determined by the barkada. Pakikisama is very important in a group, in a workplace, and in areas where there is a social group. Another characteristic is that Filipinos seek to succeed and make himself a person in his own right. It may be a show of being bida and sikat all the time that is a manifestation of pasiklaban, the Filipino does this only to share his glory with his family. Therefore, the Filipino is not inconsistent with the established fact that Filipinos are others-centered because his pagsasarili is a result of his desire to uplift his family or his loved ones – others-centeredness-responsibility. Hiya is a Filipino social behavior regulator that prevents a Filipino from violating a norm, a family value, and a group goal. This is also the root of the Smooth Interpersonal Relationships that Filipinos highly prize. This is the golden rule among Filipinos in the sense that a Filipino makes it a point not to intentionally embarass a person just as he wouldn’t want to be embarassed by another. Euphemism is an important Filipino procedure for all relationships. This tactfulness mirrors the Smooth Interpersonal Relationship that Filipinos highly regard. In the interdependent Philippine society, reciprocity is an essential to all relationships. Utang-na-loob, a Filipino is indebted to another until such a favor is returned in kind. This utang na loob is very much rampant in 95 % of Filipinos specially those who are native of the Philippines and among Filipinos in other countries. Utang na loob may stem from Hiya or mainly from the uniqueness of the Filipino â€Å"self.† Many of the provinces of the Philippines are separated from each other by water because the Philippines is an archipelago. Large islands, Luzon and Mindanao have mountain ranges also separate different land areas. As a result of the physical isolation from each other, Filipinos have a rich, multi-cultural heritage and speak 150 different languages and dialects. It must be noted that even though Filipinos speak many languages, there are only eight major languages based on the number of speakers: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo, Waray, Bikolano, Pangasinense, and Kapampangan. Of these, Filipino, which is based onTagalog and was formerly spelled as ‘Pilipino,’ is the official language along with English. Most textbooks, laws, signboards and mass media are either in English or Filipino. From this language barrier and indifferences come out regionalism which dates back from the the colonial past of the Philippines under Spain and the United States. Spaniards encouraged regionalism to dissipate any nationalist revolt against them. They practiced a â€Å"divide and rule† policy wherein they employed Filipino soldiers from one region to put down an uprising in another region. In addition, Spanish friars, in their desire to evangelize, studied the native tongues and incorporated Catholicism into Filipino social customs and religious observances. In doing so, the Spaniards preserved the native languages and dialects of the Filipinos. They also implanted Roman Catholicism in the Philippines, and influenced the Philippine legal system, social institutions, literature and arts. Meanwhile, the American colonial rule also unwittingly encouraged regionalism.[11]. Language differences and regionalism are just a few factors of the rich cultural herritage and behaviors of individual – tribes in context – that give color and blend of Filipino Philosophy. major factors influencing Filipino Philosophy are its Education, Language and Geography, Western and Eastern Philosophies, and most especially Religion. Education shapes the mind of individuals. It is the way of acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Through education, cultures, thoughts and ideas, concepts and theories are handed down from one generation to another. It is by education that we learn the Western thoughts and their civilization which we try to imitate and to live-out. It is by education that we inculcate to the next generation, the ideal self and the justified and unjustified, true and false beliefs. Language and Geography determine the type of the desires, the taste and the perceptions of the people. It is one of the major factors contributing to the indifferences of major cultures in the Philippines most especially that the country is separated by water. Culture takes part in the molding of history and of man. And the rest, together with culture and history runs in circle around the development and of the nature of Filipino Philosophy. Culture, like history, modifies the worldview of the Filipinos. For every ethno-linguistic community, society, province or region whatever you want to call it, every individual or the whole group has its own worldview on how to enrich, practice, and show his or her own culture. Despite the indifferences of cultural background and ancestral indifferences, the Filipino worldview in the context of the self has never changed. Culture is passed from generation to generation through time (history), through psychological time, but the self being that self, which is others-oriented-kin-related-self, remains the same as it is. In this regard, the Filipino self is unique and his worldview, which is to be in harmony with all that is around him or her, is true to every Filipino from age to age and from culture to culture. Filipino Philosophy is unique in itself and is a pride of the Filipino people. It doesn’t matter which general worldview it belongs. What matters is that the country that belongs to the eastern coast has a philosophy that is distinct and rich in itself. The choice is left to the people whether to take it as a material for its national pride and left to the critics, the Filipino philosophers and scholars if they push our philosophy to the limits and to the level of other philosophies or to drag it down. For it shapes the Philippine politics, economics, justice system, and the rest of that which revolves in the society of the country. A Filipino has two major ways of dealing with his society depending upon the basis of relatedness to the self. Individuals always value pakikitungo, pakikisalamuha, pakikisama to people whom he does not know; and likewise, he/she deals on how to be in harmony with the related individuals to his life – involvement and â€Å"pakikiisa† are two very important values to consider.

American Interventions Since World War Ii Essay

Since 1940, the United States has a long history of foreign interventions, long since leaving behind its former isolationism. Its motives have included the urge to fight fascist aggression, the desire to contain communism’s spread (and protect American economic interests), and preserving American access to plentiful Middle Eastern oil. Before December 1941, much of the American public favored isolation from world affairs, especially in the wake of World War I, to many a pointless conflict. However, others looked warily at the spread of fascism and militarism in Europe and eastern Asia. President Franklin Roosevelt believed by 1938 that the conflict would eventually draw in the United States, and he wanted to assist the United Kingdom in its war against Germany (which it fought with virtually no help beyond American aid programs like Lend-Lease). Roosevelt, aware that many Americans were wary of another futile war, framed the conflict in moral terms, presenting Hitler’s fascism and Japan’s militarism as evils that needed eradication by the forces of democracy. He cautiously began preparing the nation for war by expanding the armed forces and defense economy, aiding the British, and imposing embargoes on oil and metal sales to Japan, vainly hoping that Japan’s military-run government would desist from its aggressive expansion throughout eastern Asia. The Cold War began almost immediately after World War II, giving the United States no real opportunity to revert to isolationism. By mid-1945, the Soviet army had already occupied much of eastern and central Europe, claiming its right to â€Å"buffer nations† and using a dying Roosevelt’s agreement at Yalta to justify their domination of Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and much of the Balkan region. Very quickly, the Soviet Union began expanding its assisting communist rebels in various nations, and the United States saw a threat not only to its own dominance but also to capitalist economies abroad (many tied to American economic interests). Aware that much of Europe was devastated and impoverished by the war (and thus vulnerable to Soviet influence), the Truman administration actively intervened in European affairs with aid packages like the Marshall Plan, the Truman doctrine (which led to American intervention in Greece and Turkey, where communist insurgents actively sought control and the British were unable to cope), and the creation of NATO as a military response to the Soviets. The Cold War also drove the United States to intervene further in Asia, after the communist takeover in China in 1949 and the outbreak of hostilities between North and South Korea in 1950 (which turned into a sort of proxy war between the United States and China). After a cease-fire halted the Korean conflict in 1953 (indeed, it has not officially ended and American troops remain there in large numbers), the United States followed the policy of containment, initially outlined in 1946 by George Kennan NSC-68 document. Accepting the existence of both the Soviet Union and China, American policy aimed to prevent communist expansion into other nations, particularly the newly-independent Third World nations that had been European colonies before 1945. This often involved behind-the-scenes support of various regimes (sometimes democratic, often authoritarian and repressive) Though Lyndon Johnson framed the Vietnam War in Cold War terms, using the â€Å"domino theory† to argue that halting communism in southeast Asia was pivotally important, the conflict’s roots lay in the mid-1940s, when the Vietnamese declared independence from France and fought an eight-year war for liberation, ending with France’s defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The United States, which began providing aid to France as early as 1950, increasingly viewed Vietnam’s fight to reunify under Ho Chi Minh through the lens of Cold War thinking, and Johnson approached the war as a battle against communist expansion, rather than as a guerrilla war for national liberation and unity. In the Middle East, American interventions generally concerned both the region’s rich oil supplies and the nation of Israel, whose independence the United States recognized within minutes of its declaration in 1948. American support for Israel was motivated in part by Truman’s sympathy for the Jews, given their horrific experiences under Nazism) complicated relations with Arab states and incurred long-lasting Arab mistrust of the United States. In addition, the United States (being the world’s largest oil consumer) was eager to protect the region’s vast oil fields from the Soviets and drove the United States to support dictators such as the Shah of Iran and later Iraq’s Saddam Hussein – with negative consequences in both cases. When communism ended as an international threat, American leadership increasingly viewed Arab extremism as the new threat to its hegemony. The Gulf War of 1990-1991 grew from Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, which upset the region’s political status quo and jeopardized the West’s access to Kuwaiti oil. The current conflict in Iraq is a continuation of this, as well as an effort to assert American authority in a region which has long regarded the United States with suspicion and disdain. Economic and geopolitical motives were the chief factors behind American interventions abroad after 1940. The United States entered World War II to fight fascist aggression and expansion, while the Cold War was a struggle against both growing communist influence and the resulting threats to global capitalism and Vietnam transformed from efforts to help a colonial power to a Cold War fight. Finally, American activity in the Middle East has been motivated by a desire to keep the region a stable and dependable source of oil, as well as a desire to combat Muslim extremists aiming to undermine American domination. REFERENCES Boyer, Paul S. et al. The Enduring Vision. Third edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Goldfield, David et al. The American Journey. Third edition. Upper Saddle River NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005.

The Historic Olmec City of San Lorenzo

The Olmec culture thrived along Mexico’s Gulf coast from roughly 1200 B.C. to 400 B.C. One of the most important archaeological sites associated with this culture is known as San Lorenzo. Once, there was a great city there. Its original name has been lost to time. Considered by some archaeologists to be the first true Mesoamerican city, San Lorenzo was a very important center of Olmec commerce, religion, and political power during its heyday. Location San Lorenzo is located in Veracruz State, about 38 miles (60km) from the Gulf of Mexico. The Olmecs could not have selected a better site to build their first great city. The site was originally a large island in the middle of the Coatzacoalcos River, although the course of the river has since changed and now only flows past one side of the site. The island featured a central ridge, high enough to escape any flooding. The floodplains along the river were very fertile. The location is close to sources of stone which were used for making sculptures and buildings. Between the river on either side and the high central ridge, the site was easily defended from enemy attack. Occupation of San Lorenzo San Lorenzo was first occupied around 1500 B.C., making it one of the oldest sites in the Americas. It was home to three early settlements, referred to as the Ojochà ­ (1500-1350 B.C.), the Bajà ­o (1350-1250 B.C.), and the Chichà ¡rras (1250-1150 B.C.). These three cultures are considered pre-Olmec and are largely identified by pottery types. The Chicharrà ¡s period begins to show characteristics later identified as Olmec. The city reached its peak in the period from 1150 to 900 B.C. before falling into decline. This is referred to as the San Lorenzo era. There may have been some 13,000 inhabitants at San Lorenzo during the height of its power (Cyphers). The city then went into decline and passed into the Nacaste period from 900 to 700 B.C. The Nacaste did not have the skills of their forebears and added little in the way of art and culture. The site was abandoned for some years before the Palangana era (600-400 B.C.). These later inhabitants contributed some small mounds and a ball court. The site was then abandoned for over a thousand years before it was re-occupied during the Late Classic era of Mesoamerican civilization, but the city never regained its former glory. The Archaeological Site San Lorenzo is a sprawling site which includes not only the one-time metropolis of San Lorenzo but several smaller towns and agricultural settlements that were controlled by the city. There were important secondary settlements at Loma del Zapote, where the river forked to the south of the city, and El Remolino, where the waters re-converged to the north. The most important section of the site is on the ridge, where the nobility and priest classes lived. The western side of the ridge is known as the â€Å"royal compound,† as it was home to the ruling class. This area has yielded a treasure trove of artifacts, particularly sculptures. The ruins of an important structure, the â€Å"red palace,† are also found there. Other highlights include an aqueduct, interesting monuments scattered around the site, and several artificial pits known as â€Å"lagunas,† the purpose of which is still unclear. Stonework Very little of Olmec culture has survived to the present day. The climate of the steamy lowlands where they lived has destroyed any books, burial sites, and items of cloth or wood. The most important remnants of the Olmec culture are therefore architecture and sculpture. Fortunately for posterity, the Olmec were talented stonemasons. They were capable of transporting large sculptures and blocks of stone for masonry for distances of up to 60 kilometers (37 miles). The stones were probably floated part of the way on sturdy rafts. The aqueduct at San Lorenzo is a masterpiece of practical engineering. Hundreds of similarly-carved basalt troughs and covers weighing many tons were laid out in such a way as to promote the flow of water to its destination, which was a duck-shaped cistern designated Monument 9 by archaeologists. Sculpture The Olmec were great artists and the most remarkable feature of San Lorenzo is doubtless the several dozen sculptures that have been discovered at the site and nearby secondary sites like Loma del Zapote. The Olmec were famous for their detailed sculptures of colossal heads. Ten of these heads have been found at San Lorenzo. The largest of them is nearly ten feet tall. These massive stone heads are believed to depict rulers. At nearby Loma del Zapote, two finely sculpted, nearly identical twins face two jaguars. There are also several massive stone thrones at the site. All in all, dozens of sculptures have been found in and around San Lorenzo. Some of the statues were carved out of earlier works. Archaeologists believe that the statues were used as elements in scenes with religious or political meaning. The pieces would be laboriously moved around to create different scenes. Politics San Lorenzo was a powerful political center. As one of the first Mesoamerican cities — if not the first — it did not have true contemporary rivals and ruled over a large area. In the immediate environs, archaeologists have discovered many small settlements and dwellings, mostly located on hilltops. The smaller settlements were likely ruled by members or appointments of the royal family. Smaller sculptures have been found at these peripheral settlements, suggesting that they were sent there from San Lorenzo as a form of cultural or religious control. These smaller sites were used in the production of food and other resources and were of strategic use militarily. The royal family ruled this mini-empire from the heights of San Lorenzo. Decline and Importance In spite of its promising start, San Lorenzo fell into steep decline and by 900 B. C. was a shadow of its former self. The city would be abandoned a few generations later. Archaeologists do not really know why San Lorenzos glory faded so soon after its classic era. There are a few clues, however. Many of the later sculptures were carved out of earlier ones, and some are only half-completed. This suggests that perhaps rival cities or tribes came to control the countryside, making the acquisition of new stone difficult. Another possible explanation is that if the population somehow declined, there would be insufficient manpower to quarry and transport new material. The era around 900 B.C. is also historically linked to some climatic changes, which could well have adversely affected San Lorenzo. As a relatively primitive, developing culture, the people of San Lorenzo subsisted on a handful of core crops, hunting, and fishing. A sudden change in climate could affect these crops, as well as the nearby wildlife. San Lorenzo, while not a spectacular place for visitors like Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ or Palenque, is nevertheless an extremely important historical city and archaeological site. The Olmec is the parent culture of all of those which came later in Mesoamerica, including the Maya and Aztecs. As such, any insight gained from the earliest major city is of inestimable cultural and historical value. It is unfortunate that the city has been raided by looters and many priceless artifacts have been lost or rendered valueless by being removed from their place of origin. It is possible to visit the historical site, although many of the sculptures are currently found elsewhere, such as the Mexican National Museum of Anthropology and the Xalapa Anthropology Museum. Sources Coe, Michael D. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. Ancient Peoples and Places, Rex Koontz, 7th Edition, Thames Hudson, June 14, 2013. Cyphers, Ann. San Lorenzo, Veracruz. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana, No. 87, 2019. Diehl, Richard. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. Ancient Peoples Places, Hardcover, Thames Hudson, December 31, 2004.