This Olmec colossal head is a replica of “The King,” a sculpture unearthed in San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán, Veracruz, Mexico, in 1964. Colossal heads are a representative art form of the Olmec, one of the first major cultures of Mesoamerica with achievements including advances in the fields of science, mathematics, astronomy, architecture, city planning, as well as art. The King is thought to represent a ruler, possibly wearing a ballplayer’s helmut.  The replica is a gift from the Mexican government in celebration of the CUNY Institute of Mexican Studies, which is housed at Lehman.