The Olmec lived across San Lorenzo, a reasonably fertile region which allowed them to grow maize[1]. Such food formed the crust of their diet. The ease in which this crop grew allowed the Olmec to divert their attention and apply their knowledge to other activities such as construction and mathematics. Through the arithmetic system they came up with, the Olmec developed immaculate structures and calendars that only got bettered by the communities that came after them, such as the Aztecs. They get credited with developing the first-ever recognizable writing format which the Aztecs later built upon, an aspect that allowed them to attain the levels of success associated with them.
