Zapotec civilization 1

Zapotec civilization

Palace of Columns, Mitla, Oaxaca Extent of the Zapotec civilization

Be'ena'a  (language?)

700BC–1521

AD

Zapotec at greatest extent

Capital Monte Alban 700BC-700 AD ,Mitla 700 AD-1400 AD ,and Zaachila-Yoo 1400-1521 AD

Languages Oto-Manguean languages

Religion Zapotec

Government Not specified

President

- 1328-1361 Ozomatli

- 1361-1386 Huijatoo

- 1386-1415 Zaachila I

- 1415-1454 Zaachila II

Zapotec civilization 2

- 1454-1487 Zaachila III

- 1487-1521 Cocijoeza

- 1518-1563 Cocijopii

Historical era Preclassic-Late postclassic

- Fall of San José Mogote 700 BC

- Conflict between Zapotecs and Mixtecs in the empire 1519-1521

- Spanish Conquest 1521 AD

- Last Zapotec resistance 1521-1563

Area

- 200 AD 80,000 km² (30,888 sq mi)

- 1520 AD 38,850 km² (15,000 sq mi)

Today part of  Mexico

The Zapotec civilization was an indigenous pre-Columbian civilization that flourished in the Valley of Oaxaca inMesoamerica. Archaeological evidence shows that their culture goes back at least 2,500 years. The Zapotec leftarchaeological evidence at the ancient city of Monte Albán in the form of buildings, ball courts, magnificent tombsand grave goods including finely worked gold jewelry. Monte Albán was one of the first major cities inMesoamerica and the center of a Zapotec state that dominated much of the territory that today belongs to theMexican state of Oaxaca.

History

A funerary urn in the shape of a "bat god" or a jaguar, from Oaxaca, dated to AD300–650. Height: 9.5 in (23 cm).

Zapotec civilization 3

Phase Period

Monte Alban 1 ca 400–100 BC

Monte Alban 2 ca 100 BC – AD 100

Monte Alban 3 ca AD 200-900

Monte Alban 4 ca 900–1350

Monte Alban 5 ca 1350–1521

|+ Archaeological phases of Monte Albán history[1] Zapotec civilization had its beginnings in the Central Valleys ofOaxaca in the late 6th Century BC. The three valleys were divided between three different-sized societies, separatedby 80 km2 “no-man’s-land” in the middle, today occupied by the city of Oaxaca. Archaeological evidence from theperiod, such as burned temples and sacrificed captives, suggest that the three societies competed against each other.At the end of the Rosario phase (700–500 BC) the valley's largest settlement San José Mogote, and a nearbysettlement in the Etla valley, lost most of their population. During the same period a new large settlement emerged inthe “no-man’s-land”. That settlement, which was constructed on top of a mountain overlooking the three Centralvalleys was Monte Albán. Similarities between the pottery of San José Mogote and at early Monte Albán indicatethat the people who populated Monte Albán were the same ones who had left San José Mogote.[2] ArchaeologistsJoyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery liken this process to what happened in ancient Greece - (synoikism): acentralization of smaller dispersed populations congregates in a central city to meet an external threat.[3] Eventhough there is no direct evidence in the early phases of Monte Albán's history, walls and fortifications built aroundthe site during the archaeological phase Monte Alban 2( ca.100 BC - AD 200), suggest that the construction of thecity may have been in response to a military threat.The Zapotec state formed at Monte Albán began an expansion during the late Monte Alban 1 phase (400–100 BC)and throughout the Monte Alban 2 phase (100 BC – AD 200). Zapotec rulers seized control over the provincesoutside the valley of Oaxaca. They were able to do this during Monte Alban 1c (roughly 200 BC) to Monte Alban 2(200 BC – AD 100) because none of the surrounding provinces could compete with the valley of Oaxaca bothpolitically and militarily.[4] By 200 AD the Zapotecs had extended their influence, from Quiotepec in the North toOcelotepec and Chiltepec in the South. Monte Albán had become the largest city in what are today the southernMexican highlands, and retained this status until approximately 700 AD.[5]

The expansion of the Zapotec empire peaked during the Monte Alban II phase. Zapotecs conquered or colonizedsettlements far beyond The Valley of Oaxaca. Most notably, this expansion is visible in the sudden change ofceramics found in regions outside the valley. These regions'own unique styles were suddenly replaced with Zapotecstyle pottery, indicating their integration into the Zapotec empire.Archaeologist Alfonso Caso, one of the first to do excavations in Monte Albán, argued that a building on the mainplaza of Monte Albán is further evidence for the dramatic expansion of the Zapotec state. What today is referred toas building J, is shaped like an arrowhead and displays more than 40 carved stones with hieroglyphic writing. Theglyphs have been interpreted by archaeologists to represent the provinces that were controlled by the Zapotecs ofMonte Albán. In addition, each glyph group also depicts a head with an elaborate head dress carved into the slabs.These are assumed to illustrate the rulers of the provinces who were taken over. The stones which show a headturned upside down are believed represent the rulers of those provinces taken by force, while the upright ones mayrepresent those who did not resist colonization and had their lives spared. For this reason building J is also called“The Conquest Slab” [6]

Marcus and Flannery write about the subsequent dramatic expansion of the Monte Albán state: " a great disparity in populations between the core of a state and its periphery, it may only be necessary for the former to send colonists to the latter. Small polities, seeing that resistance would be futile, may accept a face-saving offer. Larger polities unwilling to lose their autonomy may have to be subdued militarily. During the expansion of Monte Alban 2 state, we

Zapotec civilization 4

think we see both colonization and conquest".[7]

EtymologyThe name Zapotec is an exonym coming from Nahuatl tzapotēcah (singular tzapotēcatl), which means "inhabitantsof the place of sapote". The Zapotec referred to themselves by some variant of the termBe'ena'aWikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Pronunciation, which means "The People".

LanguageMain article: Zapotec languages

the tone system of Texmelucan Zapotec

The Zapotec languages belong to a language family called Oto-manguean, anancient family of Mesoamerican languages. It is estimated that today'sOto-manguean languages branched off from a common root at around 1500BC. The Manguean languages probably split off first, followed by theOto-pamean branch while the divergence of Mixtecan and Zapotecanlanguages happened later still.[8] The Zapotecan group includes the Zapoteclanguages and the closely related Chatino. Zapotec languages are spoken inparts of the Northern Sierra, the Central Valleys as well as in parts of theSouthern Sierra, in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and along parts of the PacificCoast.[9] Due to decades of out-migration Zapotec is also spoken in parts of Mexico City and Los Angeles, CA.There are seven distinct Zapotec languages and over a hundred dialects.

Zapotec is a tone language, which means that the meaning of a word is often determined by voice pitch (tonemes),essential for understanding the meaning of different words. The Zapotec languages features up to 4 distinct tonemes:high, low, rising and falling.[10]

SocietyBetween Monte Alban phases 1 and 2 there was a considerable expansion of the population of the Valley of Oaxaca.As the population grew, so did the degree of social differentiation, the centralization of political power, andceremonial activity. During Monte Alban 1-2 valley appears to have been fragmented into several independentstates, as manifested in regional centers of power.[11]

Geography

Looking over the site of Monte Alban. Situated on a mountaintop, Monte Albanoverlooks much of the Valley of Oaxaca.

The Central Valleys of Oaxaca, thecradle of Zapotec civilization, are threebroad valleys (The Valley of Etla inthe West, the Valley of Ocotlán in theSouth and the Valley of Mitla in theEast) that join at an altitude of about4500 feet above sea level in the center of what today is the state of Oaxaca. They are located about 200 km south ofMexico City. Mountains surround the valley with The Sierra Norte in the north and the mountains of Tlacolula in thesoutheast. The environment is well suited for agriculture and is considered one of the cradles of maize. It is estimatedthat at the time of the emergence of Zapotec civilization, the valley soil were unaffected by the erosion seen today, asthe oak and pine forests covering the surrounding mountains had not yet been decimated by logging. There is a dryseason from November until May but along the rivers it is possible to plant and harvest crops twice a year.

Zapotec civilization 5

The valleys of Etla and Ocotlán are traversed from north-west to south by the Atoyac River which provides water fora small strip of land bordering the river, when it periodically floods. To provide water for crops elsewhere in thevalley away from the river the Zapotecs used canal irrigation. By using water from small streams the Zapotecs wereable to bring water to Monte Albán, situated 400 meter above the valley floor. Archaeologists have found remains ofa small irrigation system consisting of a dam and a canal on the mountains south-eastern flank. As this would nothave been sufficient to support all the inhabitants of Monte Albán, it is assumed that this was just one of manyirrigation systems.[12] Because of the rapid growth in population in the Monte Albán I phase the crops grown in thevalley were not enough to sustain it. Therefore crops were grown on the piedmonts where the soil is a less fertile andartificial irrigation was needed.

Technology

Jade Zapotec warrior's mask from,Monte Alban.

The Zapotecs developed a calendar and a logosyllabic system of writing thatused a separate glyph to represent each of the syllables of the language. Thiswriting system is thought to be one of the first writing systems of Mesoamericaand a predecessor of the those developed by the Maya, Mixtec and Azteccivilizations. At the present time, there is some debate as to whether or notOlmec symbols, dated to 650 BC, are actually a form of writing preceding theoldest Zapotec writing dated to about 500 BC.[13]

In the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, there were Zapotec and Mixtec artisans whofashioned jewelry for the Aztec rulers (tlatoanis), including Moctezuma II.Relations with central Mexico, however, go back much further, as suggested bythe archaeological remains of a Zapotec neighborhood within Teotihuacan and aTeotihuacan style "guest house" in Monte Albán. Other important pre-ColumbianZapotec sites include Lambityeco, Dainzu, Mitla, Yagul, San José Mogote, ElPalmillo and Zaachila.

The Zapotecs were a sedentary culture living in villages and towns, in housesconstructed with stone and mortar. They recorded the principal events in their history by means of hieroglyphics, andin warfare they made use of a cotton armour. The well-known ruins of Mitla have been attributed to them.

WritingAt Monte Albán archaeologists have found extended text in a glyphic script. Some signs can be recognized ascalendric information but the script as such remains undeciphered. Read in columns from top to bottom, its executionis somewhat cruder than that of the later Classic Maya and this has led epigraphers to believe that the script was alsoless phonetic than the largely syllabic Mayan script.The earliest known artifact with Zapotec writing is a "Danzante" (dancer) stone, officially known as Monument 3,found in San Jose Mogote, Oaxaca. It has a relief of what appears to be a dead and bloodied captive with two glyphicsigns between his legs, possibly his name. First dated to 500–600 BC, this was initially considered to be the earliestwriting in Mesoamerica. However, doubts have been expressed as to this dating as the monument may have beenreused. The Zapotec script appears to have gone out of use in the late Classic period.

Zapotec civilization 6

Religion

Painted ceramic funerary urndepicting a seated figure. Zapotecculture (phase Monte Albán III),Early and Middle Classic Period

(100-700 AD). Mexico.

Like most Mesoamerican religious systems, the Zapotec religion waspolytheistic. Two principal deities include Cocijo, the rain god (similar to theAztec god Tlaloc), and Coquihani, the god of light. It is believed that the Zapotecsometimes used human sacrifice in their rituals.Wikipedia:Citation needed TheZapotecs had a predominance of deities associated with fertility and agriculture.There are both male and female representation, told apart from each other bycostumes. Males normally wear breechclouts and sometimes capes, whilefemales are represented by wearing skirts. Prominent gods are Cocijo – god oflightning and rain, he is represented from Monte Alban 1-4. Another one is thegod of maize Pitao Cozobi.[14] There is some evidence of deities not directlyassociated with Zapotecs culture, such as the feathered serpent and the butterflygod, they are characteristic for Teotihuacán. And also the Teotihuacán rain god,and Xipe totec a deity associated with spring in nahuatl culture.[15]

There are several legends as to the origin of the Zapotec. One of them states thatthey were the original people of the valley of Oaxaca and were born from rocks,or descended from big cats such as pumas, jaguars and ocelots. There is anotherorigin legend which states that the Zapotecs settled in the Oaxaca valley after founding the Toltec empire, and thatthey descended from Chicomostoc. It is noteworthy that these legends weren’t transcribed until after the Spanishconquest.[16]

According to historic as well as contemporary Zapotec legends, their ancestors emerged from the earth, from caves,or turned into people from trees or jaguars. Their governing elite apparently believed that they descended fromsupernatural beings that lived among the clouds, and that upon death they would return to such status. In fact, thename by which Zapotecs are known today results from this belief. The Zapotecs of the Central Valleys callthemselves "Be'ena' Za'a" - The Cloud People.

Warfare and resistanceThe last battle between the Aztecs and the Zapotecs occurred between 1497 and 1502, under the Aztec rulerAhuizotl. At the time of Spanish conquest of Mexico, when news arrived that the Aztecs were defeated by theSpaniards, King Cosijoeza ordered his people not to confront the Spaniards so they would avoid the same fate. Theywere defeated by the Spaniards only after several campaigns between 1522 and 1527. However, uprisings againstcolonial authorities occurred in 1550, 1560 and 1715.Wikipedia:Citation needed

Notes[1][1] Whitecotton (1977), p. 26 Ll.1-3[2][2] Marcus and Flannery, p. 144[3][3] Marcus and Flannery (1996), p. 146[4][4] Marcus and Flannery (1996), p. 206[5][5] Marcus and Flannery (1996), p. 208[6][6] Marcus and Flannery, p. 196[7][7] Marcus and Flannery (1996), p. 198[8] Whitecotton (1977), pp. 12–13 Ll.2-16[9][9] Whitecotton (1977), p. 12 Ll.35-37[10][10] Whitecotton (1977), p. 13 Ll.20-27[11][11] Whitecotton (1977), p. 33 Ll.16-18[12] Marcus and Flannery (1996), pp. 147–48

Zapotec civilization 7

[13] Script Delivery: New World writing takes disputed turn (http:/ / www. sciencenews. org/ articles/ 20021207/ fob1. asp) Science NewsDecember 7th, 2002; Vol.162 #23

[14][14] Whitecotton (1977), p. 52 Ll.23- 33[15] Whitecotton (1977), pp. 52–53 Ll.34- 2[16][16] Whitecotton (1977), p. 23 Ll.11-26

ReferencesMarcus, Joyce and Flannery, Kent V. (1996). Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico'sOaxaca Valley. New aspects of antiquity series. New York: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05078-3. OCLC 34409496 (http:/ / www. worldcat. org/ oclc/ 34409496).Marcus, Joyce and Flannery, Kent V. (2000). "Cultural Evolution in Oaxaca: The Origins of the Zapotec andMixtec Civilizations". In Richard E.W. Adams and Murdo J. Macleod (eds.). The Cambridge History of theNative Peoples of the Americas, Vol. II: Mesoamerica, part 1. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.pp. 358–406. ISBN 0-521-35165-0. OCLC  33359444 (http:/ / www. worldcat. org/ oclc/ 33359444).Whitecotton, Joseph W. (1990). Zapotec Elite Ethnohistory: Pictorial Genealogies from Eastern Oaxaca.Vanderbilt University publications in anthropology, no. 39. Nashville, Tennessee: Vanderbilt University.ISBN 0-935462-30-9. OCLC  23095346 (http:/ / www. worldcat. org/ oclc/ 23095346).Whitecotton, Joseph W. (1977). The Zapotecs: Princes, Priests and Peasants. Norman: University ofOklahoma Press.Zeitlin, Robert N. (2000). "Review: Two Perspectives on the Rise of Civilization in Mesoamerica's OaxacaValley. Review of: Ancient Oaxaca: The Monte Albán State by Richard E. Blanton ; Gary M. Feinman ;Stephen A. Kowalewski ; Linda M. Nicholas" (http:/ / www. jstor. org/ stable/ 1571672). Latin AmericanAntiquity 11 (1): 87–89.

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Article Sources and ContributorsZapotec civilization  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=609544713  Contributors: -Reaper-, ABF, Aceofhearts1968, Addshore, AgadaUrbanit, Anbu121, Andrew H. Goldberg,Attilios, Aymankamelwiki, BanyanTree, Begoon, BirgitteSB, BostonMA, Brougham96, CJLL Wright, CTF83!, Cantons-de-l'Est, Casull, Co2gas, Cobalion254, Coemgenus, Cyrus., Dameyawn,Dar-Ape, Dave.haku, Dekimasu, Der Falke, Doco, Donner60, Dougweller, Eigenwijze mustang, Elcairo, Feťour, Fyyer, Gilliam, Gimmetrow, Glacialfox, Gracicals, Hibernian, Huku-chan,Jab843, Jean.artegui, John of Reading, Jschnur, Kaldari, Kwamikagami, KylieTastic, Lahiru k, LittleWink, Look2See1, Madman2001, MarieFaester, Maunus, Mesoamerican, Mille2501,Mimihitam, Mokturtl, NativePride98, Nimetapoeg, NorCalHistory, O.Koslowski, Oaxaca dan, Opus88888, Origamiemensch, Oxfordwang, Oxymoron83, Paul beedle, Plasynins, Ptcamn, Puffin,Qualko, RazorICE, RekishiEJ, Rich Farmbrough, Rnzeit, SD5, SDC, Sburke, Seba5618, Shasho1, Simon Burchell, Skizzik, StaticGull, StonePeter, Storm Rider, Sven Manguard, Terraflorin,Tetyler, The Earwig, The Thing That Should Not Be, Tide rolls, Tobias Bergemann, Tynkänen, Vchorozopoulos, Vvven, Wakebrdkid, Wikipelli, Wiseman6689, Woohookitty, Yamaha5,Zenibus, Ziggurat, 169 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Mitla2 HQ.jpg  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mitla2_HQ.jpg  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: Original uploader was Luidger atde.wikipediaImage:Zapotecos.png  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Zapotecos.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: YavidaxiuFile:Zapotecos.png  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Zapotecos.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: YavidaxiuFile:Flag of Mexico.svg  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Mexico.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Alex Covarrubias, 9 April 2006 Based on the armsby Juan Gabino.Image:Funerary Urn from Oaxaca.jpg  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Funerary_Urn_from_Oaxaca.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5 Contributors: Daderot, Ixtzib, Madman2001, Marcus Cyron, PixeltooImage:threetonesystemtexmelucan.png  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Threetonesystemtexmelucan.png  License: Public domain  Contributors: Maunus aten.wikipedia. Later version was uploaded by Jalwikip at en.wikipedia.File:Monte alban panorama from northern platform.jpg  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Monte_alban_panorama_from_northern_platform.jpg  License: CreativeCommons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0  Contributors: EkeFile:MonteAlbanMaskMusJadeSanCri.JPG  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:MonteAlbanMaskMusJadeSanCri.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike  Contributors: AlejandroLinaresGarciaFile:Urna funeraria zapoteca (M. América Inv.85-1-127) 01.jpg  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Urna_funeraria_zapoteca_(M._América_Inv.85-1-127)_01.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0  Contributors: User:Zaqarbalfile:Commons-logo.svg  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Commons-logo.svg  License: logo  Contributors: Anomie

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