San Lorenzo Monument 1 - Austin, TX - Exact Replicas on Waymarking.com

Located in the Lilas/Benson Breezeway at Sid Richardson Hall on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, this replica of the San Lorenzo Monument I -- also known "Colossal Head 1" or "El Rey (The King)" -- is an exact replica of a colossal basalt head found at the ancient Mesoamerican Olmec site of San Lorenzo, Veracruz, Mexico in 1946. The original was discovered by the American archaeologist Matthew Stirling and is one of 17 colossal stone heads uncovered throughout that region over time; since each head received its number in the order in which it was found, "Colossal Head 1" was the first one to be discovered.

The Olmec civilization developed in the lowlands of southeastern Mexico between 1500 and 400 BCE, with its heartland by the Gulf Coast within the current Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. They are regarded as the first civilization to develop in Mesoamerica, and one of the six cradles of civilization in the world (and of those six, the only one that developed in a lowland tropical forest setting).

The Olmecs were the first inhabitants of the Americas to construct monumental architecture and to settle in towns and cities, and the first to develop a sophisticated style of stone sculpture -- including these giant Colossal Heads, most of which are currently in anthropology museums within Veracruz and Tabasco. None of the colossal heads can be precisely dated, but those found in San Lorenzo were buried by 900 BC -- indicating that their period of manufacture had to be before that date.

The monument is believed to depict an unknown Olmec ruler. Its headdress includes several symbolisms of that time including the inverted paw of a jaguar with a circle, possibly a reference to "chalchihuitl": a green stone representing water and beauty. Also noticeable are typical Mesoamerican ethnic traits such as a broad nose, thick lips and slanted eyes. Finally, other aesthetic features (according to the canons of beauty of that time) include a slight strabismus ("cross-eyed") as well as a deformed skull and ears.

The replica artwork, weighing 18 tons and measuring approximately 10 feet tall, was sculpted from stone by artist Ignacio Pérez Solano (also known as "El Maestro"). It was presented by The Universidad Veracruzana as a gift to the Teresa Long Institute of Latin American Studies on November 19, 2008 in recognition of the close ties between the peoples of the United States and Mexico. The plaque in front of the replica reads:

"Replica of San Lorenzo Monument 1 -- This sculpture, weighing 18 tons, is an exact copy of the colossal head that was discovered at the Olmec site of San Lorenzo, Veracruz, Mexico. The original is a landmark work of art of the Olmec culture that flourished in southern Mexico 1500-400 BCE. The Universidad Veracruzana presented the replica as a gift to the Texas Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies in 2008 in recognition of the close ties between the people of the United States and Mexico."

Where is original located?: Anthropology Museum, Xalapa (Veracruz), Mexico Where is this replica located?: University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX Who created the original?: unknown artist, ancient Mesoamerican Olmec civilization Internet Link about Original: http://www.uv.mx/max/coleccion/FichaTecnica.aspx?ObjetoID=660&Ubicacion=7 Year Original was Created (approx. ok): 1200-900 BCE (with Olmec civilization flourishing 1500-400 BCE)

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/23/2015 WalksfarTX visited it 08/15/2014 Raven visited it

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