
Complejo D
Estructura
This architectural complex of 20 rammed earth buildings is organized in three north-south axes, creating a sort of avenues between them. Three monumental sculptures (52, 53 and 54) were found on top of building D-7, at the southern end. Like the colossal heads to the north, they probably indicate one of the entrances to the ancient Olmec city. These monoliths, weighing between 14 and 35 tons, are exhibited in the site museum.
Altars 4 and 5, the most beautiful examples of this type of sculpture, were located on the sides of a platform more than 100 m long (building D-8). They are similar to the altars of complex C and show a seated individual emerging from a niche; they hold an infant and a rope, respectively. The reproductions of these extraordinary examples of Olmec sculpture are located where the originals were discovered.
Altar 1: Regarding sculpture, in the first phase of La Venta, composite zoomorphic beings were made, such as the one that can be seen on this altar, where in addition to the hand-claw-wing motifs that are common in Early Preclassic ceramics (1500-900 BC), we can find a being with feline and saurian characteristics.
Altar 4: In this altar we see a ribbon held by the central character, possibly with one of his ancestors.
