The book tells about the history of the discovery and research of one of the most ancient and mysterious cultures of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica - the Olmec culture. Characteristics of the largest Olmec centers (San Lorenzo, La Venta, Tres Zapotes) are given, and problems of interpretation of Olmec art and religious system are considered. The author is Tabarev Andrey Vladimirovich - Doctor of Historical Sciences, chief researcher at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The main area of interest is the cultures of the Stone Age of the Pacific basin and pre-Columbian America;