Religion played a major role in the Olmec Civilization.
Several supernatural beings appear in their art that survive today and this has led the archaeologists to identify a handful of their gods. Nothing much is known about their names though. The Olmecs found divinity in natural phenomena such as rain.
They also worshipped animals and birds around them, especially the fearsome ones like jaguars, eagles and snakes. They identified these creatures with divine powers. The jaguar seems to have been the most popular deity.
They also believed that all human beings had animal spirits within them. Like the Ancient Egyptians, gods that were half human and half animal were also worshipped by the Olmecs.
The Olmecs also had priests. They believed that the priest acted as a bridge between people and their gods and spirits.
