Monte Alban: Majestic Archaeological Site

Monte Alban ruins

Five miles to the west of Oaxaca City lies the spectacular Monte Alban archaeological site, perched on a mountaintop high above the surrounding valleys. Leaving Oaxaca below and to the east, the access road winds steeply up a hillside, bringing you shortly to a parking area near the site entrance and the museum.

On the day we visited Monte Alban and took these pictures, it was the end of the rainy season, and we found the greenness of the surrounding hills and valleys and the archaeological site itself extremely pleasant, and the slight overcast of the skies allowed us to explore without feeling overwhelmed by the beating sun. The ruins extend over the peaks of 3 mountain ranges that converge in Oaxaca’s central valley, at an altitude of 1,600 meters (about 5200 ft.) above sea level, so there is plenty of walking to do during explorations.

From about 500 B.C. through 800 A.D., Monte Alban flourished as the capital of the Zapotecs. Its great structures, formed of irregular stones and mud faced with cut stone and sometimes stucco, many decorated with elaborate reliefs, overlook the surrounding valleys.

The Monte Alban Museum

Figurine at the Monte Alban museum

At the entrance to the Monte Alban archaeological site is a small museum housing several of the carved blocks from the Building of the Dancers as well as a number of other interesting clay and stone pieces and artifacts unearthed from the area.

Outside the museum are also several stands in which vendors offer the visitors replicas of clay statuettes and colorful crafts memorabilia.

The Site

The archaeological site itself comprises 12 sections:

The North Platform, the largest and most complex area, stretches 870 from north to south and 635 feet from east to west. It hold several major temple clusters.

Ball Court, on one side of the Plaza below the North Platform. Built around 250 A.D.

Main Plaza: Flat, open central area 1,000 x 666 ft. in size.

Pyramid Systems IV and M: on the west side of the plaza, between which lies the Building of the Dancers

Central Buildings G, H, I: Stepped temples in the central area.

Building of the Dancers: One of the sites oldest structures. Here were placed nearly 400 large rectangular stone blocks carved with human figures known as “dancers”. These reliefs are thought to illustrate those who lived and died in Monte Alban, including captives, warriors, the sick and deformed and the dead.

Building J: Unique structure believed by Arq. Alfonso Caso to have been used as an observatory., located in the Central Plaza

South Platform: Nearly square, can be climbed via a long series of steps on its east side. Remains of a temple and a shrine are found on its top.

The Palace: Four main rooms built around a patio in the heart of the site – the home of a dignitary.

The Chapel

Home of Tomb 7: Temple with rooms flanked by columns. The tomb was placed below the floor.

Home of Tomb 104: Decorated with jaguar heads. Once the home of a prominent Zapotec.