Ancient Civilizations of the Americas Lecture 12 The Rise and Fall of Monte Albán

Monte Albán IIIA AD Population of Monte Albán grows to 16,500. Population of Oaxaca quadruples to 115,000. Population of the Etla arm drops – soil depletion? More buildings erected on leveled mountaintop, including South Plaza. Domain of Zapotec state diminishes with the growth of Teotihuacan – withdrawal from Cuicatlán. Specialization increases and a market is established at the base of Monte Albán.

Note growth of secondary centers Monte Albán Jalieza

Monte Albán’s foreign contacts Lápida de Bazan from Mound X by the main plaza Emmisary in Teotihuacano attire Eight Turquoise Monte Albán king Three Turquoise

Monte Albán IIIB AD Monte Albán’s population reaches 25,000. Population of the Southern Valley collapses, centers like Jalieza, are abandoned. Massive construction takes place on the north and south platforms. All ceramic production takes place in centers with monumental construction.

Monte Albán Main Plaza – August 1965 looking North

“Ruler’s Palace” Sunken Patio on the North Platform looking north

Main Plaza looking southeast

Gee, aren’t these kids cute? (remember – midterm is next week!

Central Structure H in Main Plaza

Terrace 32 There are three residential areas on the East, West, and South slopes of Monte Albán

Zapotec Hieroglyphics The hieroglyphic script is unique and appears in the Valley of Oaxaca 350 years before it does among the Maya, at 500 BC. “One Earthquake”

Monte Albán Period II Text without pictures shows that it was a free- standing script.

Zapotec Religion Zapotec religion embraced a single creator god which had multiple manifestations Cocijo – Storm/rain god. Cozoli – Maize god. Copijza – Sun god. Belzelao – Fertility God Cocijo is also a 65 day segment of the sacred 260 day calendar (Piyo).

Cozoli – The Maize God From Monte Albán period IIIA

Zapotec gods are depicted on jewelry and most frequently on funerary urns

Piquete Ziña A bat god Fertility and Maize

Wide-Beaked Bird diety

Gods common to other Mesoamerican Cultures: Elderly God Sits at the center of Cosmic cords that run to the cardinal directions. This is a portal to the underworld

Xipe Totec – God of sacrificial pain

Nagualism Tomb Lintel

Ancestor Veneration Tomb Mural

Monte Albán IV AD The Fall of Monte Albán Major construction at Monte Albán ceases 700 AD. Great plaza no longer in use by 800 AD. Population drops to 4,000. Population of the Valley of Oaxaca drops to 70,000. Precincts are defended by walls. Population expands in Valle Grande and Tlacolula, and drops in Etla branch. Jalieza becomes the largest site in the valley (pop. 16,000).