Where did the ancient Mesoamerican cultures come from? We can only speculate on the answers based on the scant archaeological evidence we can find, so there are always unknowns. There are many theories for every unanswered question; while some have actual merit, others are more fanciful and capture public imagination despite being discredited by science. The ancient Olmecs, the first major Mesoamerican culture, have been subject to just these types of speculations.
The Olmecs were the first major advanced civilization in ancient Mesoamerica; they lived between 1500 BC and 400 BC, and left behind striking pieces of artwork including colossal stone heads, polished miniature figurines, and intricate statues. But despite having access to these incredible works, relatively little is known about the Olmecs; they left relatively little behind, and their ultimate fate is still undetermined. Most Mesoamerican historians agree that the Olmecs arose out of traditions that were already indigenous to the New World, sharing a common set of traits with other populations in the Western Hemisphere.
Some writers claim that the Olmecs are more directly related to the indigenous peoples of Africa. They conclude this based on examinations of Olmec statues, which show very distinct facial features: thick fleshy lips, a wide nose that is flat, and the strong jawline that can be seen in native African men. They also claim that the Olmec writing system--the first in Mesoamerica, and still untranslated--is related to native scripts from the Libyco-Berber culture in North Africa.
Mainstream researchers have refuted all of these claims and found no support for them. So far there have been no genetic links found between African human ancestors and the gene pool of pre-Columbians. These speculations have been made based on a very narrow classification of race and a staggeringly high rate of sample bias.
It is also thought by some, that perhaps Chinese refugees came to Mesoamerica at the end of the Shang dynasty, and the Olmecs may have descended from them. Researchers have pointed to the same untranslated Olmec scripts, arguing for their resemblance to Chinese characters; Olmec masks have faces with slit-shaped eye spaces, and both cultures valued jade. However, once again, there is no reliable material evidence to suggest that this theory could be real. While these alternative origin concepts are popular in pop culture, scientists have never found a shred of proof.
In the end, the fascination about the Olmecs and their possible alternative origins speaks more about the modern human mind than it does about this mysterious civilization. Human brains seek patterns and naturally want to fill in missing gaps. These cognitive biases take a lot of self-awareness and study. The fact that both Chinese and Olmec cultures valued jade is an example of the association fallacy; just because two things share a common property doesn't mean that they are the same. The speculations also illustrate confirmation bias, wherein answers are found because the researcher wants to find them. These theories also simply show that the Olmecs are fascinating and continue to capture the imagination of writers, scientists, and common people alike.
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