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An Unexplored Realm in the Heartland of the Southern Gulf ... - Famsi

An Unexplored Realm in the Heartland of the Southern Gulf ... - Famsi

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Figure 2.2. Map <strong>of</strong> central La Venta architectural complexes<br />

(after González-Lauck 1996:74)<br />

and repositioned around San Lorenzo (Cyphers 1997a), while at La Venta carved stelae<br />

were permanently implanted <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> ground. Details carved <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> sculptures were<br />

<strong>in</strong>tended for <strong>in</strong>timate view<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>the</strong> communication <strong>of</strong> ideologies (Clark 2005:214).<br />

The ideas <strong>of</strong> permanence and k<strong>in</strong>gly authority were carved and pa<strong>in</strong>ted on<br />

boulders, stone slabs, caves, and cliffs (Clark 2005:214-215). A dist<strong>in</strong>ctive series <strong>of</strong><br />

monumental stone carv<strong>in</strong>gs were positioned along primary communication routes across<br />

Mesoamerica dur<strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>terval <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Middle Formative period (c. 900 to 700 BC)<br />

(Clark and Pye 2000:227). They conta<strong>in</strong> comparable subject matter, art style, and<br />

54

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