 Some of the Olmecs ' rulers seem to have served religious functions . The city of San Lorenzo was succeeded as the main centre of the civilization by La Venta in about 900 BC , with Tres Zapotes and Laguna de los Cerros possibly sharing the role ; other urban centres were much less significant . The nature and degree of the control exercised by the centres over a widespread rural population remains unclear . Very fine Olmec art , much clearly made for an elite , survives in several forms , notably Olmec figurines , and larger sculptures such as The Wrestler . The figurines have been recovered in large numbers and are mostly in pottery ; these were presumably widely available to the population . Together with these , of particular relevance to the colossal heads are the " Olmec @-@ style masks " in stone , so called because none have yet been excavated in circumstances that allow the proper archaeological identification of an Olmec context . These evocative stone face masks present both similarities and differences to the colossal heads . Two thirds of Olmec monumental sculpture represents the human form , and the colossal heads fall within this major theme of Olmec art . 
 Some of the Olmecs <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'</mark></a>rulers seem to <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>have</mark></a> served religious functions . The city of San Lorenzo was succeeded as the main centre of the civilization by La Venta in about 900 BC , with Tres Zapotes and Laguna de los Cerros possibly sharing the role ; other urban centres <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> much less significant . The nature and degree of the control exercised by the centres over a widespread rural population <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>remains</mark></a> unclear . Very fine Olmec art , much clearly made for an elite , <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>survives</mark></a> in several forms , notably Olmec figurines , and larger sculptures such as The Wrestler . The figurines <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>have</mark></a> been recovered in large numbers and <a href='drop_aux' title='7'><mark>are</mark></a>mostly in pottery ; these <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> presumably widely available to the population . Together with these , of particular relevance to the colossal heads <a href='drop_aux' title='9'><mark>are</mark></a>the " Olmec @-@ style masks " in stone , so called because none <a href='been_done' title='10'><mark>have</mark></a> yet been excavated in <a href='negative_concord' title='11'><mark>circumstances</mark></a> <a href='null_relcl' title='12'><mark>that</mark></a>allow the proper archaeological identification of an Olmec context . These evocative stone face masks present both similarities and differences to the colossal heads . Two thirds of Olmec monumental sculpture <a href='uninflect' title='13'><mark>represents</mark></a> the human form , and the colossal heads fall within this major theme of Olmec art . 
Some of the Olmecs  rulers seem to done served religious functions . da city of San Lorenzo was succeeded as the main centre of the civilization by La Venta in about 900 BC , w Tres Zapotes and Laguna de los Cerros possibly sharing the role ; other urban centres was much less significant . Tdanature and degree of thdaontrol exercised by the centres over a widespread rural population remain unclear . Very fine Olmec art , much clearly made for an elite , survive in several forms , notably Olmec figurines , and larger sculptures such as The Wrestler . The figurines done been recovered in bigass numbers and mostly in pottery ; these was presumably widely available to the population . Together witwittese , of particular relevance to the colossal heads thedaOlmec @-@ style masks " in stone , so called bc none done yet been excavated in no circumstances allow the daper archaeological identification of an Olmec context . dem evocative stone face masks present both similarities and differences to the colossal heads . Two thirds of Olmec monumental sculpture represent the hdan form , and the colossal heads fall within this major theme of Olmec art .