The Olmec Diet

Abstract Studies of Olmec diet began in the 1970s, when archaeobiological remains were just beginning to be systematically collected. Our understanding of Olmec diet has grown considerably since the publication of these early studies to include questions concerning the relationship between diet and the environment, economy, and sociopolitics. The Olmec are notable for their use of multiple dietary strategies, (e.g. farming, hunting, foraging) and food preferences. This chapter synthesizes the extant plant and animal data available for the Initial, Early, and Middle Formative periods throughout the Olmec Gulf Coastal region. We conclude by making recommendations for augmenting the dietary database in future studies.