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Does the block date to the San Lorenzo phase, about 900 BC?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Is the block an ancient Olmec object?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: the block belongs with the San Lorenzo phase material, about 1000 to 900 BCAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. The block belongs with the San Lorenzo phase material, about 1000 to 900 BC. leads, with evidence 2 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

The headline claim, oldest writing in the Americas, rests on the date, and the date rests on mixed debris in which a quarter of the material is Terminal Classic⁠[1].

Answers 3

Evidence: 2 for, 1 against
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for
Still possible

History

  1. Rodríguez Martínez et al. puts forward: the block belongs with the San Lorenzo phase material, about 1000 to 900 BC.
  2. Skidmore: nearly all the Formative sherds in the debris are San Lorenzo phase.For: The block belongs with the San Lorenzo phase material, about 1000 to 900 BC.
  3. Skidmore: a few Palangana sherds (800 to 400 BC) were in the debris.For: The block dates to the Middle Formative (Palangana phase or later), after 900 BC.
  4. Asked on this site
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