San Lorenzo - Olmec Civilization in Veracruz

San Lorenzo - Olmec Civilization in Veracruz San Lorenzo is an Olmec period site located in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. San Lorenzo is the name of the central place in the larger San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan archaeological region. It is located on a steep plateau above the Coatzacoalcos floodplain. The site was first settled in the second millennium BC and had its heyday between 1200-900 BC. Temples, plazas, roadways and kingly residences are included in an area of about a half acre, where about 1,000 people resided. Chronology Ojochi phase (1800-1600 BC)Bajio phase (1600-1500 BC)Chicharras (1500-1400 BC)San Lorenzo A (1400-1200 BC)San Lorenzo B (1000-1200 BC) Architecture at San Lorenzo Ten colossal stone heads representing heads of past and present rulers have been found at San Lorenzo. Evidence suggests that these heads were plastered and painted in bright colors. They were arranged in ensembles and set in a plaza paved with red sand and yellow gravel. Sarcophagus-shaped thrones linked living kings with their ancestors. A royal processional aligned to the north-south axis of the plateau led the way to the center. At the center of the site are two palaces: the San Lorenzo Red Palace and the Stirling Acropolis. The Red Palace was a royal residence with a platform substructure, red floors, basalt roof support, steps and drain. The Stirling Acropolis may have been the sacred residence, and is surrounded by a pyramid, E-group and a ballcourt. Chocolate at San Lorenzo Recent analysis of 156 potsherds were collected from stratified deposits at San Lorenzo, and reported in an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in May of 2011. Residues of the pottery were collected and analyzed at the University of California, Davis Department of Nutrition. Of the 156 potsherds examined, 17% contained conclusive evidence of theobromine, the active incredient in chocolate. Vessel types exhibiting multiple occurrences of theobromine included open bowls, cups and bottles; the vessels date throughout the chronology at San Lorenzo. This represents the earliest evidence of chocolate use. Read more about the history of chocolate Excavators of San Lorenzo include Matthew Stirling, Michael Coe and Ann Cyphers Guillen. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com Guide to the Olmec Civilization, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Blomster JP, Neff H, and Glascock MD. 2005. Olmec Pottery Production and Export in Ancient Mexico Determined Through Elemental Analysis. Science 307:1068-1072. Cyphers A. 1999. From Stone to Symbols: Olmec Art in Social Context at San Lorenzo Tenochtitln. In: Grove DC, and Joyce RA, editors. Social Patterns in Pre-Classic Mesoamerica. Washington DC: Dumbarton Oaks. p 155-181. Neff H, Blomster J, Glascock MD, Bishop RL, Blackman MJ, Coe MD, Cowgill GL, Diehl RA, Houston S, Joyce AA et al. 2006. Methodological Issues In The Provenance Investigation Of Early Formative Mesoamerican Ceramics. Latin American Antiquity 17(1):54-57. Neff H, Blomster J, Glascock MD, Bishop RL, Blackman MJ, Coe MD, Cowgill GLC, Ann, Diehl RA, Houston S, Joyce AA et al. 2006. Smokescreens in the Provenance Investigation of Early Formative Mesoamerican Ceramics. Latin American Antiquity 17(1):104-118. Pohl MD, and von Nagy C. 2008. The Olmec and their contemporaries. In: Pearsall DM, editor. Encyclopedia of Archaeology. London: Elsevier Inc. p 217-230. Pool CA, Ceballos PO, del Carmen Rodrà ­guez Martà ­nez M, and Loughlin ML. 2010. The early horizon at Tres Zapotes: implications for Olmec interaction. Ancient Mesoamerica 21(01):95-105. Powis TG, Cyphers A, Gaikwad NW, Grivetti L, and Cheong K. 2011. Cacao use and the San Lorenzo Olmec. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108(21):8595-8600. Wendt CJ, and Cyphers A. 2008. How the Olmec used bitumen in ancient Mesoamerica. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 27(2):175-191.

Understanding and Using the Simple Present Tense

Understanding and Using the Simple Present Tense The present simple tense is typically one of the first verb tenses that new English students learn. It is used to describe action that takes place on a regular basis. The present simple also can be used to express feelings, facts, opinion, and time-based events. Dont confuse the present simple tense with the present continuous tense, which is used to describe something that is currently taking place. For example: Present simple tense: I catch the bus at 8:50 a.m. to go to work. Present continuous tense: I am riding the bus to work. Want to know more about verb tenses? Check out this illustrated verb  timeline, then use these learning strategies to improve your English skills. Practicing the Present Simple Tense One good way to improve your English speaking skills is to use role-playing exercises. With a classmate or a friend, try using the following dialogue to practice the present simple tense. Mark: Hello, Can I ask you some questions for an interview? Jennifer: Yes, I can answer some questions. Mark: Thank you for taking the time. Now, first question: What do you do? Jennifer: I work in a library. Im a librarian. Mark: Are you married? Jennifer: Yes, I am. Mark: What does your husband do? Jennifer: He works as a policeman. Mark: Do you usually have dinner together? Jennifer: Yes, we do. Mark: How often does your husband exercise? Jennifer: He sometimes exercises four times a week. But, he usually exercises only twice a week. Mark: Where do you like to go on holiday? Jennifer: We rarely go on holiday. However, we like to go to the mountains if we can. Mark: What type of books do you read? Jennifer: I often read horror stories. Mark: Thank you very much for answering my questions. Jennifer: Youre welcome! When To Use Notice from the above dialogue and following chart that the present simple is often used to describe what we do every day. We use verbs of frequency (always, sometimes, usually, etc.) which indicate a habit. Other instances that call for the present simple tense include: Permanent or long-lasting situations Where do you work? The store opens at 9 a.m. She lives in New York. Regular habits and daily routines I usually get up at 7 a.m. She doesnt often go to the cinema. When do they usually have lunch? Facts The earth revolves around the sun. What does strange mean? Water doesnt boil at 20 degrees. Feelings I love walking around late at night during the summer. She hates flying! I dont want to live in Texas. Opinions and states of mind He doesnt agree with you. I think he is a wonderful student. What do you consider your best accomplishment? Timetables and schedules The plane leaves at 4 p.m. When do courses begin this semester? The train doesnt arrive until 10.35 a.m. Verb Conjugation The present simple tense can be expressed in three ways: positive, negative, or as a question. Conjugating the positive form is easy for the first- and second-person references such as I or you. Just use the root form of the verb. For third-person references, add an s to the verb. For example: I eat lunch at noon. You play tennis at noon. He walks to school every day. She watches TV in the evening. It sleeps under the couch. We study English at school They eat lunch at noon. The negative form uses the  helping verb  do for first- and second-person references and does for the third-person. You can also express the negative form as a contraction. For example: I do not leave work early on Mondays. You don’t like to watch TV. He does not understand the question. She doesn’t ride a bike. We do not have any money. They dont leave at noon. If the present simple tense is expressed in the form of a question, use do or does, followed by the subject, and the  verb in questions. For example: Do I work in this company? Do you get up early? Do we often drive to work? Do they understand French? Does he like to watch TV? Does she believe in ghosts? Does it leave at noon?