Monte Albán

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Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of **Monte Albán**^a
**UNESCO World Heritage Site**

State Party	Mexico
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, iii, iv
Identification	#415
Region^b	Latin America and the Caribbean
Inscription History
Formal Inscription:	1987 11th Session
a Name as officially inscribed on the WH List b As classified officially by UNESCO

Monte Albán is a large pre-Columbian center and archaeological site in the Oaxacan sub-region of Mesoamerica, whose major developments are attributed to the Zapotec civilization with a later occupational phase by the Mixtec. The site is located in southern Mexico's Valley of Oaxaca, in the present-day state of Oaxaca, at an elevation of 1941 m (6368 ft) above mean sea level. The modern day Oaxaca City is located approximately 9 km (5.6 mi) east of Monte Albán.

The pre-Columbian city is situated atop an artificially-leveled mountain, which rises some 400 m (1312 ft) above the valley floor. Monte Albán was the capital of Late Preclassic/Early Classic regional Zapotec polity that dominated much of the Oaxacan highlands and participated in the overarching pan-Mesoamerican communication network. Evidence of of interaction with Teotihuacan has been identified at both sites (Paddock 1983; Marcus 1983).

The name "Monte Albán" means "White Mountain" in Spanish; its name in the Zapotec language was Danipaguache, meaning "Sacred Mountain of Life". The Aztecs knew it as Ocelotepec, or "Jaguar Mountain".

1 History of investigation
2 Site Chronology
3 Monuments
4 Photographs
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History of investigation

Site plan for Monte Albán.

Guillermo Dupaix investigated the site in the early 19th century. J. M. García published an account of the site in 1859. A. F. Bandelier visited and published further descriptions in the 1890s. The first large-scale archaeological project of the site was done in 1902 by Leopoldo Batres. Eighteen years of more extensive excavations began in 1931 under Alfonso Caso. Despite such detailed work, much of the large site, over 80%, has never been excavated. In 1932 Alfonso Caso discovered Tomb Nr. 7 at Monte Albán, one of the few tombs that had not been plundered. The sensational finding contained more than 120 burial objects of gold produced in ca. 1350 CE by the Mixtecs, who were famous for their craftmanship at this time. Finally, a regional survey of the Valley of Oaxaca was conducted during the 1970s and 1980s by an archaeological team from the University of Michigan, headed by Richard Blanton, Stephen Kowalewski, and Gary Feinman. This survey documented the development of sociopolitical complexity in the valley from the earliest occupation at San José Mogote through the era of Mixtec influence during the Postclassic. The primary research goals of this regional project was to record significant changes in the size, density, and centralization of settlement over time.

[edit] Site Chronology

According to available archaeological evidence, Monte Albán was uninhabited in 600 BC (the end of the local Rosario ceramic phase), grew to a population of around 5,200 by 400 BC, and had an estimated population of 17,200 by 200 BC (Marcus and Flannery 1996:139), quickly making it one of the most populous Mesoamerican cities at the time. This inordinate population growth occurred simultaneously with the rapid abandonment of the major centers occupying the three arms of the Valley of Oaxaca. These centers were San José Mogote in the northwestern Etla arm, Tilcajete in the central southern Valle Grande, and Yegüih in the Tlacolula arm to the east. This rapid shift in population and settlement, from dispersed localized centers to a concentration in a previously unsettled area, has been referred to as the “Monte Alban Synoikism” by Marcus and Flannery (1996:140-146).

Aerial view of Monte Albán

Following the coalescence of political power at Monte Albán during the latter half of the Late Formative, the site expanded into areas outside the Valley of Oaxaca. From the Late Formative through the Early Classic periods (ca. 100 BCE – 650 CE), Monte Albán formed the nucleus of a major regional polity that exerted a dominating influence over the Valley of Oaxaca and across much of the Oaxacan highlands. By the Late Classic the site's influence declined as other centers in the Valley of Oaxaca, once subjects of Monte Albán, began to assert their own autonomy. These include Cuilpan and Zaachila in the Valle Grande and Lambityeco and Mitla in the eastern Tlacolula arm. The Terminal Classic (ca. 900 CE) led to the abandonment of the site proper.^[1] During the Late Postclassic Monte Albán retained some significance as a ceremonial center, and was reused as a burial site by the Mixtec.

[edit] Monuments

View of Gran Plaza from the North Platform. The South Platform can be seen in the distance.

Monte Albán has many step-pyramids, temples, elite tombs, and a court for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame. There are also free-standing sculptured stelae, and large bas-relief carved panels in some of the buildings.

The site is built around the Gran Plaza, approximately 300 meters by 200 meters, which is ringed by the ruins of step pyramids and mounds. Three pyramids occupy the center of the plaza, along with the enigmatic Building J.

Building J has invited much speculation due to its unusual shape and orientation. Alfonso Caso suggested it was an astrological observatory, and several researchers have found various astronomical alignments. The building, however, also features large carved slabs depicting upside-down heads, which Caso called "conquest slabs" depicting vanquished enemies.

The oldest carved stones at the site are the so-called "Danzantes" (literally, dancers), featuring drawings of naked men in contorted and twisted poses. The notion that they depict dancers is now largely discredited, and the present consensus is that these "dancers" represent tortured, sacrificed war prisoners. Some of the original stones can be viewed in the museum at the site.

The site is a popular tourist destination for visitors to Oaxaca and has a small museum. Trails at the site are also used by joggers, hikers, and birders.

Panorama of Monte Alban from the South Platform.

[edit] Photographs

Altar for human sacrifice	Unrestored section of Monte Albán with Oaxaca City in the background	View of Gran Plaza from the South Platform, with Building J in the foreground.	Mask from Monte Albán Treasure Room (at museum in Oaxaca)
		View across Gran Plaza from the South Platform, with Building J in the foreground.	Building M as seen from the South Platform.

[edit] See also

San Jose Mogote, an earlier site and predecessor of Monte Alban in the Valley of Oaxaca

[edit] Notes

^ Blanton, et. al. (1999)

[edit] References

Blanton, Richard E.; Gary M. Feinman, Stephen A. Kowalewski and Linda M. Nicholas (1999). Ancient Oaxaca: the Monte Albán State. London: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-57787-X. OCLC 41420906.

Coe, Michael D.; Dean Snow and Elizabeth Benson (1986). Atlas of Ancient America. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 0-816-01199-0.

Marcus, Joyce (1983) Teotihuacan Visitors on Monte Alban Monuments and Murals. In The Cloud People, edited by K.V. Flannery and J. Marcus, pp. 175-181. Academic Press, New York.

Marcus, Joyce; and Kent V. Flannery (1996). Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico's Oaxaca Valley. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05078-3.

Paddock, John (1983) The Oaxaca Barrio at Teotihuacan. In The Cloud People, edited by K.V. Flannery and J. Marcus, pp. 170-175. Academic Press, New York.