Who ruled Mesoamerica before the Maya?

Long before more famous empires such as the Maya, a civilisation called the Olmec were building an impressive legacy.

Commonly referred to by experts as the “mother culture” of Mesoamerica, the Olmec civilisation ruled parts of modern-day Mexico and Guatemala between 1200 to 400BC.

They built pyramids, studied the stars, and their architecture included complex water systems. In recent decades, scientists have been discovering vital clues about just how influential the Olmec were to the later Maya and Aztec world.

Producer & narrator: Howard Timerblake