The architectural remains of the ancient Olmec city located in La Venta, Tabasco were overlooked in the pioneering archaeological investigations at this site.  This led to a limited view as to the possible function of this early settlement in the first millennium before our era. More recent research has prioritized the mapping of the site’s architecture, revealing a more extensive and sophisticated panorama than in the past.  This in turn has obliged us to look beyond its urban limits in order to understand the configuration of the surrounding landscape and the settlements within it.