3 of 6   Pre-Classic Period
	OLMEC COLOSSAL HEAD 1500 B.C.-300 B.C. olossal heads carved from volcanic rock, weighing up to 20 tons, are among the oldest known representations of Olmec rulers. Each ruler wears a helmet with a distinctive design. The expressive features (smiling or frowning, severe or serene) indicate that each head is a portrait of a specific individual. The massive scale asserts the ruler’s superhuman authority.