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Monte Albon |
| Home >> Mexico Destinations >> Oaxaca City >> Oaxaca City Attractions >> Monte Albon |
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| Monte Albán is a large archeological site in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The name "Monte Albán" means "White Mountain" in the Spanish language; the Zapotec name was Danipaguache, meaning "Sacred Mountain". The Aztecs knew it as Ocelotepec, or "Jaguar Mountain". This sacred Mesoamerican city is on an artificially flattened mountain top some 400 meters above the city of Oaxaca. Monte Albán was built over a period of over 2,000 years, starting about 900 BC, by the Zapotec people. The early art shows Olmec influence. The most impressive building period was during the Mesoamerican Classic era, from about 550 to 1000. About 1300 the Zapotec were driven out of the site and surrounding area when was conquered by the Mixtec people. The Mixtec made further additions to Monte Albán until they in turn were conquered by the Spanish Conquistadores in 1521, at which time Monte Albán was abandoned. |
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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 oldest carved stones at the site are the so-called "Danzantes" (literally, dancers), featuring drawings of people in contorted and twisted poses. Although the notion that they depict a dance is generally discredited now, there is still little agreement on what exactly the figures represent. Some of the original stones can be viewed in the museum at the site. |
Building J has also invited much speculation, due to its unusual shape and orientation. Caso suggested it was an astrological observatory, though other theories have been offered. The building also features large carved slabs depicting upside-down heads, which Caro called "conquest slabs" depicting vanquished enemies. The site is a popular tourist destination for visitors to Oaxaca. The museum has information about the site and exhibits of artifacts found there. There are city buses; tour buses, guided tours or you may drive your own vehicle. There is parking, a cafeteria and a gift shop. The treasure of Tomb 7 found there by Alfonso Caso is on exhibit at the Museum in the Santo Domingo Complex.
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Ball courts, especially those of the main political cities of the Late Classic Maya, were public spaces used for a variety of elite cultural events and ritual activities like musicals and festivals, and of course, the ball game. Pictorial depictions often show musicians playing at ball games. Most ball courts were I-shaped, with a long, narrow playing field flanked by, sloping, walls in the Classic and vertical or stepped walls in the Post Classic, that were plastered and brightly painted. The end zones evidently held temporary scaffolding for seating. |
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