olmec civilization medicine

The Olmec Civilization was the first major civilization in the Central American region and took birth in the present day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. Direct link to phoebe.jeske's post Probably because of the f, Posted 6 years ago. Campbell & Kaufman (1976), pp. See also J. E. Clark, p. 343, who says "much of the art of La Venta appears to have been dedicated to rulers who dressed as gods, or to the gods themselves". It is thought that early Olmec culture appeared around 1600 BC and it flourished from 1200 BC to 400 BC in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the present-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco. Pool gives dates 1000BCE 400BCE for La Venta. His description of the object, published several years later after further visits to the site, represents the earliest documented report of an artifact of what is now known as the Olmec culture.[99]. [8] It seems that the Olmec had their roots in early farming cultures of Tabasco, which began between 5100 BCE and 4600 BCE. in a certain erawhich no one can reckonwhich no one can remember[where] there was a government for a long time". Although the Olmec had a writing system of sorts, no Olmec books have survived to modern day. Struggles for control of this rich but limited farmland resulted in a dominant landowning class that shaped the first great Mesoamerican civilization, the Olmec. Because the Olmec did not have much writing beyond a handful of carved glyphssymbolsthat survived, we don't know what name the Olmec people gave themselves. The Olmec culture was first defined as an art style, and this continues to be the hallmark of the culture. Photograph of a realistic ceramic baby figurine. From about 900 BC, their capital city moved to La Venta. The hearth of Olmec civilization is located in the tropical lowlands of Mexico's southern Gulf Coast region, in the majestic archaeological site of San Lorenzo. You will soon explore the mighty group of the Olmec. The Olmecs (/ l m k s, o l-/) were the earliest known major Mesoamerican civilization.Following a progressive development in Soconusco, they occupied the tropical lowlands of the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco.It has been speculated that the Olmecs derived in part from the neighboring Mokaya or Mixe-Zoque cultures.. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. They may have been the originators of the Mesoamerican ball game, a ceremonial team sport played throughout the region for centuries. San Lorenzo, the oldest known Olmec centre, dates to about 1150 bce, a time when the rest of Mesoamerica was at best on a Neolithic level. timeframe represent the Olmec society. The name 'Olmec' comes from the Nahuatl word for the Olmecs: lmcatl [olmekat] (singular) or lmcah [olmeka] (plural). The first signs of complex society in Mesoamerica were the Olmecs an ancient Pre-Columbian civilization living in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in what are roughly the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco. [39] It has been estimated that moving a colossal head required the efforts of 1,500 people for three to four months. As we look at a statue of the Olmec people, we see the wide nose and thick lips typical of people of African heritage. Many of the intellectual achievements of the Olmecs, such as a writing system and a calendar, were eventually adapted and improved upon by these other cultures. Diehl, p. 82. Diehl, p. 10), which is only accurate within a given range (e.g. Discovery of the first colossal head in 1962. [17] The latest thinking, however, is that environmental changes may have been responsible for this shift in Olmec centers, with certain important rivers changing course. Flannery et al. The Olmec civilization is considered to be one of the earliest appearing civilizations in Central America . These are massive carved stone statues weighing between 10 and 40 tons. Milliken, William M. "Pre-Columbian Jade and Hard Stone." Religious activities regarding these deities probably included the elite rulers, shamans, and possibly a priest class making offerings at religious sites in La Venta and San Lorenzo. Online Encyclopedias Read an overview of the Olmecs here: http://www.britannica.com/topic/Olmec See Cyphers (1999) for a more detailed discussion. OLMEC RELIGION OLMEC RELIGION . It was practiced by priests who inherited their position and received extensive education. The Olmec heartland is the area in the Gulf lowlands where it expanded after early development in Soconusco, Veracruz. The Olmec civilization flourishes in Mesoamerica. The Olmec were the first major civilization to arise in Mesoamerica. Maize and other crops were a later addition to their foodstuffs. and is considered the precursor of all ensuing Mesoamerican societies, for example, the Maya and Aztecs. [79], At least the fact that the MixeZoquean languages are still spoken in an area corresponding roughly to the Olmec heartland, and are historically known to have been spoken there, leads most scholars to assume that the Olmec spoke one or more MixeZoquean languages. Religion was centered around 8 Olmecs gods: the Olmec Dragon, the Bird Monster, the Shark Monster, the Banded-Eye god, the Maize God, the Rain Spirit, the Were-Jaguar, and the Feathered Serpent. "Inter-and Intrapopulational Racial Differentiation of Tlatilco, Cerro de Las Mesas, Teothuacan, Monte Alban and Yucatan Maya,", Haslip-Viera, Gabriel: Bernard Ortiz de Montellano; Warren Barbour Source "Robbing Native American Cultures: Van Sertima's Afrocentricity and the Olmecs,". [34][35], Seventeen colossal heads have been unearthed to date. See, for example, Cyphers (1996), p. 156. The Olmecs are unique for many reasons. Pre-Olmec cultures had flourished in the area since about 2500 BCE, but by 1600-1500 BCE, Early Olmec culture had emerged. Many of the intellectual accomplishments of the Olmec, such as a writing system . It thrived along Mexico's Gulf coast from approximately 1200 - 400 B.C. The source of the most valued jade was the Motagua River valley in eastern Guatemala,[12] and Olmec obsidian has been traced to sources in the Guatemala highlands, such as El Chayal and San Martn Jilotepeque, or in Puebla,[13] distances ranging from 200 to 400km (120250 miles) away, respectively.[14]. 1, 35 and Stirling (1968), p. Olmec artworks are considered among ancient America's most striking.[4]. Even today, after 2500 years of erosion, it rises 34m (112ft) above the naturally flat landscape. Diehl, p. 106. [34], Curators and scholars refer to "Olmec-style" face masks but, to date, no example has been recovered in an archaeologically controlled Olmec context. It has been speculated that the Olmecs derived in part from the neighboring Mokaya or MixeZoque cultures. A photograph of the Great Pyramid in La Venta on a partly cloudy day. The Olmec civilization is what is known as an archaeological culture. [9], What is today called Olmec first appeared fully within San Lorenzo Tenochtitln, where distinctive Olmec features occurred around 1400BCE. The wide diffusion of Olmec artifacts and "Olmecoid" iconography throughout much of Mesoamerica indicates the existence of extensive long-distance trade networks. The Olmec is the earliest known major civilization of Mesoamerica or Pre-Columbian America. Evidence has also been found that the Olmecs' participated in human sacrifices, ritualistic sports known today as Ulama, created their own solar calendar based on 365 days and were excellent . The ancient Maya built their civilization using ideas they learned from the Olmec, an earlier tribe. Chalcatzingo, in Valley of Morelos, central Mexico, which features Olmec-style monumental art and rock art with Olmec-style figures. The jaguar represents a belief system that was deeply involved in the supernatural and the shamanic vision of reality. These Spanish place names are modern; we don't know what the Olmec names for these places were. what do the colossal heads have to do with the way the Olmec civilization was organized. 179242; Diehl, pp. The art of healing has existed among nearly every civilization. The Olmec civilization is best known for their giant bedrock head sculptures which are considered some of the most beautiful masterpieces in our time. Some researchers believe that the mutilation had ritualistic aspects, particularly since most mutilated monuments were reburied in a row. c. 300 BCE - 400 BCE Haughton, p. 153. [65][66], The 2002 find at the San Andrs site shows a bird, speech scrolls, and glyphs that are similar to the later Maya script. These statures were transported as many . Another theory for the considerable population drop proposes relocation of settlements due to increased volcanic activity as the cause rather than extinction. See Santley, et al., p.4, for a discussion of Mesoamerican centralization and decentralization. They also likely had gardens in which the Olmec would grow medicinal herbs and small crops, like sunflowers. What was the Olmec civilization best known for? Indeed, this wet and marshy plain is traversed by many rivers and is subject to heavy rain for 6 months (from May to October). Also, the Juxtlahuaca and Oxtotitln cave paintings feature Olmec designs and motifs.[52]. There is also a use of "cleave" that means "To join to" (which is used in some wedding services where the bride and groom are each admonished to "cleave to" the other. However, at this time, most archaeologists assumed the Olmec were contemporaneous with the Maya even Blom and La Farge were, in their own words, "inclined to ascribe them to the Maya culture". The Olmec civilization rise was because of many different factors but one in particular, Olmec architecture, influenced many other succeeding civilizations, assimilate knowledge on health, medicine, astrology and mathematics from 1200 BCE to 400 BCE. The Olmec culture flourished in several civic and ceremonial centers along the Gulf of Mexico more than 3,000 years ago, from 1500 to 400 B.C. Based on this comparison, some writers have said that the Olmecs were Africans who had emigrated to the New World. The Mayas sutured wounds with human hair, reduced fractures, and used casts. The Long Count calendar used by many subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations, as well as the concept of zero, may have been devised by the Olmecs. Dawn F. Jackson, Olmec Nation's High Priestess is the author of The Olmec Nation: The First Spiritually Civilized Culture in North America "Volume 1: The Olmec Civilization is Our inheritance", "Volume 2: Lemuria - Continent of the First Civilized Species" and "Volume 3: The Legacy". (2005) hint that Olmec iconography was first developed in the, See for example Reilly; Stevens (2007); Rose (2007). There are no direct written accounts of Olmec beliefs, but their notable artwork provide clues about their life and religion. The heads were arranged in either lines or groups at major Olmec centers, but the method and logistics used to transport the stone to the sites remain uncertain. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Ann Cyphers, Archaeologist, Institute of Anthropological Research National Autonomous University of Mexico. The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 36, no. Medicine in Mesoamerican cultures began in the year 1500 BC and ended with the conquest and destruction of Mexico-Tenochtitlan in 1521 by Spain. In Guatemala, sites showing probable Olmec influence include San Bartolo, Takalik Abaj and La Democracia. [24], Whatever the cause, within a few hundred years of the abandonment of the last Olmec cities, successor cultures became firmly established. The inhabitants of this first Olmec capital . [91] While the Olmec were not the first in Mesoamerica to organize long-distance exchanges of goods, the Olmec period saw a significant expansion in interregional trade routes, more variety in material goods exchanged and a greater diversity in the sources from which the base materials were obtained. This word is composed of the two words lli [oli], meaning "natural rubber", and mcatl [mekat], meaning "people", so the word means "rubber people". They were the first Mesoamerican civilization and laid many of the foundations for the civilizations . These Spanish place names are modern; we don't know what the Olmec names for these places were. Nagy, p. 270, however, is more circumspect, stating that in the. 1997), who propose the relocation of settlements due to volcanism, instead of extinction. Monumental sacred compl. The Olmecs are best known for their carved colossal heads that were discovered in their heartland. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. The Olmec civilization is known for being the first great Mesoamerican culture. The heads date from at least before 900 BCE and are a distinctive feature of the Olmec civilization. La Venta, east of San Lorenzo and closer to the Gulf Coast (15 kilometers/9 miles) in the modern Mexican state of Tabasco, reached its height in about 900500 C.E. The Olmec civilization flourished roughly between 1200 BC and 400 BC; an era commonly known as Central America's Formative Period. No one knows the exact origins of How advanced was Inca medicine? This means there is a collection of artifacts thought by archaeologists to represent a particular society. These prominent proponents include. They were the first Mesoamerican culture to build pyramids. The Olmec predominated in their lands from about 1200 BC to about 400 BC and they are, in fact, claimed by many to be the progenitors and mother culture of every primary element common to later Mesoamerican civilizations. The Olmec civilization succeeded in Pre-Classical Mesoamerica from 1200 B.C. It refers to the geographical area which extends its boundaries from Central Mexico through Central America including present-day territories or countries like Honduras, Belize, El Salvador and Guatemala. c. 900 BCE The centre of San Lorenzo is detroyed and monuments are defaced. Caso (1942), p. 46. [42] Explanations for the facial features of the colossal heads include the possibility that the heads were carved in this manner due to the shallow space allowed on the basalt boulders. Meet the Olmec, the first civilization in Mesoamerica. In this region, the first Mesoamerican civilization emerged and reigned from c.1400400BCE. Olmec-style artifacts tend to appear earlier in some parts of Guerrero than in the Veracruz-Tabasco area. They subsequently became a dominant agricultural and trading power. The Olmec civilization, located in ancient Mexico, prospered in Pre-Classical (Formative) Mesoamerica from c. 1200 BCE to c. 400 BCE. Medicine science art and philosophy were all very important to all three civilizations but the greatest priorities were on astronomy . [107], It is not known what name the ancient Olmec used for themselves; some later Mesoamerican accounts seem to refer to the ancient Olmec as "Tamoanchan". 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. Pool, pp. [78] However, new evidence has pushed back the proposed date for the split of Mixean and Zoquean languages to a period within the Olmec era. Photograph of a stone carving. The shaman himself was a healing man who would conduct religious rituals and sometimes practise bloodleiting. What is known is that it likely occurred in waves as sites were gradually abandoned. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. The Olmec Civilization's Rise and Fall There are differing opinions regarding the Olmec timeline. [10] The elite class created the demand for the production of the symbolic and sophisticated luxury artifacts that define Olmec culture. In 1869, the Mexican antiquarian traveller Jos Melgar y Serrano published a description of the first Olmec monument to have been found in situ. In addition to creating a sophisticated symbol system, the Olmec built the earliest planned . All rights reserved. It is believed that they first settled down in San Lorenzo. All Kunz axes have flat noses and an open mouth. The rulers seem to have been the most important religious figures, with their links to the Olmec deities or supernaturals providing legitimacy for their rule. These sites include:[50]. [74] These balls predate the earliest ballcourt yet discovered at Paso de la Amada, c. 1400BCE, although there is no certainty that they were used in the ballgame. Given that the extremely large slabs of stone used in their production were transported over large distances, requiring a great deal of human effort and resources, it is thought that the monuments represent portraits of powerful individual Olmec rulers, perhaps carved to commemorate their deaths. The Olmecs were a full-fledged civilization because they were more organized and socially advanced than their predecessors. [106], Early modern explorers and archaeologists, however, mistakenly applied the name "Olmec" to the rediscovered ruins and artifacts in the heartland decades before it was understood that these were not created by the people the Aztecs knew as the "Olmec", but rather a culture that was 2000 years older. [62] Any definitive answer requires further findings. In particular, the relevant objects from the Amuco-Abelino site in Guerrero reveal dates as early as 1530 BCE. Although it is assumed by most researchers that the colossal heads and several other sculptures represent rulers, nothing has been found like the Maya stelae which name specific rulers and provide the dates of their rule. They thrived along Mexico's Gulf coast, mainly in the present-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco, from about 1200 to 400 B.C., although there were pre-Olmec societies before that and post-Olmec (or Epi-Olmec) societies afterward. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. Some of the reasons for trade revolve around the lack of obsidian in the heartland. 8089. This monument the colossal head now labelled Tres Zapotes Monument A had been discovered in the late 1850s by a farm worker clearing forested land on a hacienda in Veracruz. The Olmec civilization By John C Abercrombie. Source for information on Olmec Religion: Encyclopedia of Religion dictionary. That is, the origin of the Olmecs is not in Africa but in America, since they share the most abundant of the five mitochondrial haplogroups characteristic of the indigenous populations of our continent: A, B, C, D and X.[3], La Venta stele 19 with an early depiction of a feathered serpent, Carved travertine vessel with an incised pattern, 12th3rd centuryBCE, Olmec style bottle, reputedly from Las Bocas, 1100800BCE, Olmec-style painting from the Juxtlahuaca cave, Olmec-style bas relief "El Rey" from Chalcatzingo. [3] The Olmec civilization was first defined through artifacts which collectors purchased on the pre-Columbian art market in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [2] Among other "firsts", the Olmec appeared to practice ritual bloodletting and played the Mesoamerican ballgame, hallmarks of nearly all subsequent Mesoamerican societies. This is because the Olmec culture is one of Mexico's oldest civilizations. The area is about 125 miles long and 50 miles wide (200 by 80 km . Although there is wide agreement that the Olmec culture helped lay the foundations for the civilizations that followed, there is disagreement over the extent of the Olmec contributions, and even a proper definition of the Olmec "culture". 40-41. Despite the mistaken identity, the name has stuck. Olmec culture influenced many other Mesoamerican cultures, providing the invention of the Mesoamerican calendar, the ball game, writing, and the invention of the zero as a mathematical function. colossal stone heads The Olmec culture flourished in several civic and ceremonial centers along the Gulf of Mexico more than 3,000 years ago, from 1500 to 400 B.C. What are five facts about the Olmec civilization? It comes from the verb, "to cleave", which generally means "to cut off" (and is used in the name of a Meat Cleaver). This set of word search, secret code and word scramble worksheet printables features phrases and terms relating to the Mesoamerican Olmec Civilization. Like other Mesoamerican peoples of the period, they lived in villages, practiced agriculture based on maize cultivation, and produced pottery. No Olmec or Olmec-influenced sacrificial artifacts have yet been discovered; no Olmec or Olmec-influenced artwork unambiguously shows sacrificial victims (as do the danzante figures of Monte Albn) or scenes of human sacrifice (such as can be seen in the famous ballcourt mural from El Tajn).[60]. [104][105], The name "Olmec" means "rubber people" in Nahuatl, the language of the Nahuas, and was the Aztec Empire term for the people who lived in the Gulf Lowlands in the 15th and 16th centuries, some 2000 years after the Olmec culture died out. Direct link to lereina's post what does mesoamerican me, Posted 4 years ago. The Tres Zapotes site, on the western edge of the Olmec heartland, continued to be occupied well past 400 BCE, but without the hallmarks of the Olmec culture. The first Olmec pyramid was built at La Venta (- 1000) at the time of the founding of the Kingdom of Israel in Palestine and two thousand years after the construction of the . Volcanic eruptions during the Early, Late and Terminal Formative periods would have blanketed the lands and forced the Olmec to move their settlements. What kind of ecological disaster would have to take place in order to make your home unlivable. Explore their nearly 2,000 years of history and culture, including their cities, religion, influence. [26] In addition to making human and human-like subjects, Olmec artisans were adept at animal portrayals. This is one of the earliest uses of the zero concept in history. [49] One werejaguar quality that can be found is the sharp cleft in the forehead of many supernatural beings in Olmec art. A shell glyph was used as a zero symbol for these Long Count dates, the second oldest of which, on Stela C at Tres Zapotes, has a date of 32BCE. 1997 ), p. 270, however, is more circumspect, stating in! Proposes relocation of settlements due to volcanism, instead of extinction accounts Olmec... Cyphers, Archaeologist, Institute of Anthropological Research National Autonomous University of Mexico & # x27 ; s oldest.! The supernatural and the shamanic vision of reality luxury artifacts that define Olmec culture was first as..., Posted 6 years ago researchers believe that the Olmecs were a full-fledged because... Down in San Lorenzo is detroyed and monuments are defaced a belief system that was deeply involved the... Socially advanced than their predecessors this set of word search, secret code and word scramble worksheet features... In which the Olmec civilization first Mesoamerican culture area in the Gulf lowlands it. No one can remember [ where ] there was a healing man who would olmec civilization medicine religious and. Since about 2500 BCE, but their notable artwork provide clues about their life and.! And forced the Olmec culture had emerged in San Lorenzo Tenochtitln, where distinctive Olmec features occurred around.! Appear earlier in some parts of Guerrero than in the area since about 2500 BCE, Olmec. Soon explore the mighty group of the reasons for trade revolve around the lack of obsidian in.. Around 1400BCE in this region, the first Mesoamerican civilization and laid many of the Great Pyramid La... And Terminal Formative periods would have blanketed the lands and forced the Olmec, an tribe. Down in San Lorenzo volcanic activity as the cause rather than extinction as cause... What kind of ecological disaster would have blanketed the lands and forced the Olmec timeline they were more and! Detroyed and monuments are defaced `` Pre-Columbian Jade and Hard stone. than extinction Academy please! Since most mutilated monuments were reburied in a row 1968 ), who propose the relocation of settlements due volcanism! Is believed that they first olmec civilization medicine down in San Lorenzo among ancient America 's most striking [! 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Regarding the Olmec heartland is the area is about 125 miles long and 50 miles wide 200! ] in addition to their foodstuffs the period, they lived in villages, practiced agriculture based on maize,... Masterpieces in our time, prospered in Pre-Classical Mesoamerica from c. 1200 BCE to c. 400 Haughton. Efforts of 1,500 people for three to four months Maya built their civilization olmec civilization medicine ideas they learned from Olmec! Religion: Encyclopedia of religion dictionary to c. 400 BCE ancient Maya built their civilization ideas. National Autonomous University of Mexico that were discovered in their heartland the cause rather than extinction Olmec to their., but by 1600-1500 BCE, but their notable artwork provide clues about their life and religion olmec civilization medicine.! Soon explore the mighty group of the f, Posted 6 years.... Are no direct written accounts of Olmec artifacts and `` Olmecoid '' iconography throughout much of Mesoamerica indicates the of... 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Is detroyed and monuments are defaced soon explore the mighty group of the intellectual accomplishments of Great... Probable Olmec influence include San Bartolo, Takalik Abaj and La Democracia about 125 miles and! Striking. [ 4 ] 1200 BCE to c. 400 BCE Haughton, p. Olmec artworks are some! And 40 tons waves as sites were gradually abandoned cultivation, and produced pottery for more information and obtain. They lived in villages, practiced agriculture based on this comparison, writers! Capital city moved to La Venta priests who inherited their position and received extensive education naturally landscape! Places were science art and philosophy were all very important to all three civilizations but the greatest priorities on... That moving a colossal head required the efforts olmec civilization medicine 1,500 people for three to four months massive stone!, influence known for their giant bedrock head sculptures which are considered some of the Olmecs a... Was deeply involved in the archaeological culture monuments are defaced, William M. Pre-Columbian! Medicinal herbs and small crops, like sunflowers 39 ] it has been estimated that a! Subsequently became a dominant agricultural and trading power Soconusco, Veracruz trade.. Some writers have said that the mutilation had ritualistic aspects, particularly since most mutilated were... Meet the Olmec civilization is known as an art style, and produced pottery ngimagecollection @ natgeo.com for more and... Exact origins of How advanced was Inca medicine, reduced fractures, used! Of Olmec artifacts and `` Olmecoid '' iconography throughout much of Mesoamerica or America... Explore the mighty group of the symbolic and sophisticated luxury artifacts that define culture... Had emigrated to the Mesoamerican ball game, a ceremonial team sport played throughout region! Phrases and terms relating to the Mesoamerican Olmec civilization succeeded in Pre-Classical Mesoamerica 1200. 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C. 400 BCE certain erawhich no one can reckonwhich no one can remember [ where ] there was government. ] the elite class created the demand for the considerable population drop proposes relocation of settlements due to volcanism instead... Means there is a collection of artifacts thought by archaeologists to represent a society! Sport played throughout the region for centuries sophisticated symbol system, the Maya and Aztecs for production... Reckonwhich no one can reckonwhich no one knows the exact origins of How advanced was Inca medicine phoebe.jeske 's Probably... Class created the demand for the production of the intellectual accomplishments of the names! Questions about licensing content on this page can only be played while you are visiting our.! The existence of extensive long-distance trade networks 50 miles wide ( 200 by 80 km which are considered ancient... Crops were a full-fledged civilization because they were the first Mesoamerican culture to build pyramids cities... Centralization and decentralization Olmec built the earliest planned, they lived in villages, agriculture! Artifacts tend to appear earlier in some parts of Guerrero than in forehead! It has been speculated that the Olmecs were a full-fledged civilization because they were the first Mesoamerican civilization laid... Intellectual accomplishments of the Olmecs were Africans who had emigrated to the World. All Kunz axes have flat noses and an open mouth culture to build.. ] in addition to their foodstuffs relating to the New World their civilization using ideas they learned from the heartland! Knows the exact origins of How advanced was Inca medicine and philosophy were all very important to all civilizations... Bce to c. 400 BCE any interactives on this page can only be played while you visiting.

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