David Hatcher Childress at CPAK 2008
The oldest, and probably greatest mystery of early Mexico, and North America, in general, is the problem of the Olmecs. Often referred to as Proto-Mayans by academic archaeologists, many sculptures and other artifacts from this enigmatic civilization depict individuals who have African, Oriental or European features. The expressions and symbolism in many objects from the period seem to indicate a high level of sophistication, and a shared iconography with other cultures.
