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Monte AlbánHistoryMonte Albán was a Zapotec site once full of tombs, pyramids, and palaces. The site, about half and hour from Oaxaca, is atop a levelled-off mountainin the middle of a valley, so the views of the site as well as views from the site are simply stunning. The Zapotecs began levelling off Monte Albán around 500 B.C., and the site reached its height around A.D. 300, and began to fizzle about 500 years after that. The Zapotecs arrived in the Oaxaca valleys around 800 B.C., bringing with them a new way of producing and decorating ceramics. Monte Albán was the center of Zapotec culture, and until the 1200s, dominated the region. At this time the Miztec took over the site. They didn't build much after they took over, but they did bury their kings here. Tomb 7 is Mixtec burial site, and contained a fantastic array of burial gifts. The SiteThe center of the flat area atop Monte Albán is dominated by the Great Plaza, on which the more than 170 tombs altars, and other structures are built. You can survey the Oaxaca valley from teh Great Plaza, and feel like a king yourself, atop this mountain in the center of the valley. This is indeed the perfect spot for a royal community! There was also a viewing platform, probably an observatory, which included giant pillars, now which are on view at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. Like many ruins in Central America, there is a ball court at Monte Albán. Then you have the Buildin gof the Dancers (Danzantes, which is the oldest known building at Monte Albán. The slabs covering the building have images strange twisted naked people all over them, and nobody knows for sure what they mean. Disease? The slabs you see are reproductions, since the originals are protected inside the museum at Monte Albán. The Northern Platform has lots of temples and palaces all over it, connected by underground tunnels. Lots to see here, like heiroglyphs, sanctuaries, paintings. Vendors sell fake artifacts here, too. Make sure to also visit the cemetery and the tombs, with carvings of the Zapotec gods, monsters, and animals. Tomb 7 has over the years yielded beautiful jewelry made of turquoise, amber and gold. To see the jewelry and other artifacts from Tomb 7, visit the Regional Museum of Oaxaca. Practical InformationTo get here, you can catch a bus that costs $4 round trip. It goes several times a day from the HOtel Mesón del Angel. It takes just half an hour to get to the ruins and they give you two hours to look around the site before your return trip. You can also drive from Oaxaca. Monte Albán has a museum, shops, snackbar and a craft shop. Admission is just $4 and video camera permit is $5. You can buy a guidebook in the shop. There are walking tours for a fee as well. |
•Mexico Ancient Ruins &Culture |
