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Ro-House » Oaxaca »Santo Domingo Cultural Center

He Santo Domingo Cultural Center It is a cultural complex that is located in what was one of the most important convents in the colony. It is a large convent in which the Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca, the Fray Francisco de Burgoa Library and the Ethnobotanical Garden have been established.

The Néstor Sánchez Public Newspaper Library is located in a building that is part of the complex but dates from the 19th century. Apart from all these institutions brought together, the Santo Domingo Cultural Center has multipurpose spaces in the former convent, in which temporary exhibitions, conferences, courses, book presentations and concerts are held, among many other activities.

Ex-convent of Santo Domingo

The former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán is perhaps the largest and most important standing viceregal construction in Mexico and probably in all of America, due to its monumentality, its artistic value and the role it played as a center for evangelization and cultural promotion. for the territory of what is currently the State of Oaxaca. Santo Domingo is part of the historic center of the City of Oaxaca, which has been declared a cultural heritage of humanity by the United Nations Organization for Education and Culture.

The construction of the convent began in the middle of the 16th century and would last until the beginning of the 17th century, on an area that reached 40,000 square meters. During the colony, Santo Domingo was the center of an evangelization practically monopolized by the Dominican order throughout the State of Oaxaca.

As a result of independence and when the confiscation of the assets of the clergy was decreed with the Reform Laws, the building was evicted and occupied by the armed forces. The Temple was closed to worship in 1866 and reopened in 1902, but the building that occupied the convent remained in the hands of the Mexican army. Parts of it were gradually transferred until in 1993, the army definitively evicted the property and it was used for cultural purposes.

During four years, architectural and movable property restoration works, museum planning, historical research, anthropology and the natural environment of the Oaxacan territory were carried out, thanks to the joint effort of the federal and state governments, private initiative and civil society.

Remodeling

With the purpose of rescuing the original appearance of the building, during more than fifty months, at least six thousand square meters of construction and ten thousand square meters of flattening were restored Direct employment was given to around a thousand people in the most intense seasons of the process restoration; Some construction techniques used by the Dominican order in the 6th century were recovered and a set of trades that were little practiced by Oaxacan artisans and workers such as ironwork, stonework, and plasterwork were removed from oblivion.

Of the restoration work carried out in Santo Domingo, the restitution of six thousand square meters of vaults stands out, almost 50 percent of the original total. This required the intervention of a large interdisciplinary team, made up of archaeologists, architects and historians, among others, who undertook the task of investigating, both in the archives of the cities of Oaxaca and Mexico, as well as through the realization of coves in walls and floors, what were the original characteristics of the building, in order to justify, from the historical point of view, all the architectural replacements that took place.

Finally, on July 24, 1998, the Santo Domingo Cultural Center opened its doors to the public, which integrates activities of four institutions: the Museum of Cultures of Oaxaca, the Ethnobotanical Historical Garden of Oaxaca, the Library "Fray Francisco de Burgoa" , the Public Newspaper Library "Periodista Néstor Sánchez Hernández", in addition to the areas dedicated to conferences, congresses, seminars, temporary exhibitions, courses, concerts, etc.

The museum

On the top floor is the Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca, through a new museum language and along 14 permanent exhibition rooms and 13 thematic rooms, visitors are provided with a broad panorama of the historical evolution in the entity. In this new enclosure, visitors can appreciate the permanent and determining presence of indigenous groups in shaping the current physiognomy of Oaxacan society.

In its rooms it is possible to admire the most outstanding archaeological pieces from Monte Alban (for example, the world famous jewels from Tomb 7) Mitla, Yagul, Lambityeco, Dainzú, Huijazoo and other pre-Hispanic sites, as well as various objects that account for the traits and continuity of the millenary culture of Zapotecs, Mixtecs, Mixes, Huaves, Triqui and other ethnic groups of the State of Oaxaca, emphasizing that these groups are a dynamic part of the Oaxacan daily happening.

This site has been organized around a museum proposal that seeks to simultaneously meet the informational requirements of different types of visitors (students, tourists, researchers, etc.). A novel aspect is the incorporation in the rooms of computer monitors where in an agile and even fun way it is possible to delve into some aspect of the history and anthropology of the entity.

The museum is divided into fourteen rooms that cover 10 thousand years of the state's history, from the emergence of the first sedentary settlements and the flourishing of the great pre-Hispanic cultures, passing through different aspects of the conquest and the colony, the independent era, to reach the twentieth century. Room 3 stands out, where the jewels found in the early 1930s are on display in Tomb 7 of Monte Albán, considered one of the most important treasures in all of Mesoamerica.

The so-called "interactive rooms" are located in rooms V to VII in thirteen small cells. They have been conceived as spaces in which the public can touch the objects they appreciate and obtain more information, with the support of multimedia technology. They are dedicated to different craft trades in Oaxaca: textiles, ceramics, goldsmithing, wood carving and sculptures, saddlery, tinsmithing, etc .; the production of natural dyes, such as cochineal grana; traditional medicine; music; gastronomy; and the production of beverages such as mezcal, among others.

Ethnobotanical Garden

The next cultural space of this complex, is the Ethnobotanical Historical Garden of Oaxaca, whose objective is to make known the abundance and peculiarities of the flora of the State, traditional crops, and rescue the knowledge that the indigenous peoples of Oaxaca have about the flora of your region.

By showing live links between the biological and ethnic diversity of Oaxaca, the Ethnobotanical Garden complements and enriches the Museum of Cultures of Oaxaca and the "Francisco de Burgoa" Library. This relationship between the Garden and the Cultural Center is unprecedented in Mexico.

Library

Another space of the new Santo Domingo de Oaxaca Cultural Center is the "Fray Francisco de Burgoa" Library, formed with the historical heritage of the "Benito Juárez" Autonomous University of Oaxaca. The library occupies the space of the old chapel of the Third Order, one of the largest rooms in the Ex-Convent. It has more than 23 thousand volumes published between 1484 and 1940, mostly collections owned by different religious orders settled in Oaxaca.

These collections were seized in the 19th century, following the enactment of the Reform Laws. Among its most precious treasures are eleven incunabula, some early Mexican prints, a Latin manuscript by Fray Bartolomé de las Casas and the work: “Comments on the philosophy of Aristotle” by Juan Versor, published in Latin in 1484. It also has the important bibliographic collections of Benito Juárez Maza, Matías Romero, Jacobo Dalevuelta and Aurelio Valdivieso, whose consultation is reserved for researchers.

The Public Newspaper Library "Journalist Néstor Sánchez Hernández", located in the old cavalry building, built by the Dominican fathers for the Mexican army in 1902, in gratitude for having returned the Temple of Santo Domingo to that religious order, has two spacious rooms for reading, where it is possible to consult the main newspapers of local and national circulation, as well as various publications in other languages. The first contains newspapers and magazines of the current day and month. In the second, the oldest, among which are newspapers in the region dating from the middle of the last century, and a newspaper with national circulation since 1978.

In addition, the center has several rooms, classrooms and an auditorium, in which exhibitions, congresses, forums, concerts, courses, workshops, recitals, stage presentations, book fairs and a wide range of activities are organized. A cafeteria and a store-bookstore complement the services of a center that is destined to further enrich the artistic and cultural life of the city of Oaxaca.

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Ro-House » Oaxaca »Mezcal

The name mezcal has its roots in one of the ancient native languages of the area and translates as 'agave (also known as maguey) cooked'. Although pre-Hispanic Oaxaqueños used maguey to make pulque (an undistilled alcoholic beverage), it seems that the real advances in mezcal production occurred when the Spanish arrived in Oaxaca; by bringing with them their knowledge of distillation processes.

Mezcal is a rich, handcrafted flavored drink that requires considerable attention to be produced. Mezcal production today remains more or less as it was when the Spanish arrived hundreds of years ago. Each 'recipe' is transmitted from generation to generation within the families that care about its production; Because each family has its own approach to mezcal production, there are an enormous number of different flavors. It is also in this way that the rich diversity of flavors and traditions are preserved for all to enjoy.
Mezcal is normally served with white salt or worm salt (salt mixed with a cooked larva and ground chili), lemon or orange.

There are different types of maguey, and each produces a different version of mezcal; one of the best known, although it does not correspond exactly to the traditional definition of mezcal, is tequila. Simply put, tequila is actually a type of mezcal. The production of mezcal is regulated by the Official Mexican Standard NOM-070-SCFI-1994.

History

In excavations started in 1994 by anthropologists from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in the town of Oaxaca, evidence was obtained to determine that mezcal was formerly obtained from the maguey plant (generally known for its use for making pulque).

In order to broaden their research, university scientists developed, in 1998, the project The mezcal route, through which they toured indigenous communities to identify the places where mezcal is produced in the traditional way; they realized that it was still distilled in clay pots, and that they were dated around 400 BC. c.

Currently, mezcal has a Denomination of Origin, which protects the production of this drink in the states of Oaxaca, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacán, San Luis Potosí, Puebla, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas. In 2018, the incorporation of the state of Aguascalientes, Morelos and the State of Mexico was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation. The states mentioned are the only regions in the world today that have the designation of origin called Mezcal.

Another approach refers that it is a drink that emerged during the colony, with the arrival of the stills. A curious fact is that many of the artisanal mezcals are distilled in what is known as the "Filipino alembic". These stills came on Philippine ships, and coconut and palm beverages were distilled. These Philippine ships reached the western coast of Mexico and spread their use. However, when entering the geography, the coconut and palm were replaced by agave mead, and from there the mezcal was obtained.

Types of Mezcales

It is possible to find a great variety of mezcals according to the type of distillation, according to the variety of agave or according to the fruits or herbs that are added; among them, worm, breast, white, miner, lemon verbena, scorpion, coffee cream and others.

When the plant reaches maturity (six to eight years), it is harvested and the leaves are cut, leaving only the heart or pineapple (it is so called because its shape is very similar to a pineapple), which is cooked and then it is ground. Not all maguey species are acceptable: NOM 070 stipulates that they must be used exclusively: Agave angustifolia (maguey sprat), Agave sperrima (maguey de cerro or maguey gross or maguey cenizo), Agave weberi (mezcal maguey), Agave potatorum (mezcal maguey) and Salmiana Agave. NOM 070 recognizes more than 20 varieties of agave to produce mezcal. Each variety generates a mezcal with a different flavor.

Mezcals are classified as ancestral, which are those that their elaboration meets certain requirements such as grinding with a mallet or taona and distillation in clay pots and the artisan class, which can be ground with brush cutters and their distillation is in copper stills.

Types of Agave

Mezcal, like wine, is part of a plant (Agave in mezcal, Vitis vinífera in wine) but they have several types of it, mezcal can be made with approximately 14 different types of agave, there are wild agaves that, like us Their name suggests these are agaves that are found in wild environments and not in fields like other agaves that have already been "domesticated". An example of these is the "Espadín" from Oaxaca, these types of mezcal are higher in prices because The producer uses more raw material to obtain the final product, therefore it is a unique product in quality, in addition, the taste is very different from a reposado or aged mezcal, these mezcals do not go through the barrel due to the high cost of production and because There is no point in assembling the complex flavors that they already entail. Sometimes they mix more than one type of agave in a bottle. These are called "assembly" since it is the set of two or more types of mezcal in a bot she.

Types of wild agave:

Tobalá: Small wild agave with a thick leaf, also called «Papalometl», these agaves give a mild mezcal in attack and easy to taste, excellent for people who are entering the world of mezcal, they can be found mainly in the Mixteca and in some places in Puebla.

Cuishe: Elongated and thin-leaf wild agave, these agaves once cleaned to be baked are elongated in shape very similar to the trunk of a tree, they give a mezcal with a strong flavor and incredible aromas where its aroma of maguey and honey water persists. These mezcals have complex flavors but excellent aftertastes where we can obtain different flavors depending on whether it was the first type (madrecuixe, bicuixe). They abound mainly in Oaxaca.

Coyote: Small agave with black spines and thick reddish leaves, this type of agaves gives a unique mezcal in flavor and aroma, with a strong flavor and lasting intensity, excellent for people who are in love with mezcal to include in their personal cellar. We can find them in the Mixteca, in Michoacán and Puebla

Tepezate: Small elongated leaf agave, these agaves give a mezcal with a strong flavor and long-lasting aroma, where the alcoholic and intense flavors of the maguey abound, excellent mezcal to taste, we can find it mainly in Oaxaca

Kite: Small thick leaf agave, it may have other names depending on the region, also called "Cupreata" these agaves are slightly sweeter and softer compared to others, they give a mixture of rich and light flavors where the sweetness of the agave is abundant. find them in Puebla and Mixtec areas

Ashen: Small thick leaf agave, from this type of agaves we obtain a mezcal rich in aroma and strong flavors, this type is found in the areas of Durango and Zacatecas, it can even be used to make Pulque

Stocking: Agave chico with elongated leaf, we obtain a mezcal with strong flavors and long-lasting aromas, a balanced mezcal but with an intensity marked mainly by sweet flavors due to its large amounts of sugars, we can find it mostly in Tamaulipas.

Mexican: Elongated and large agave, we obtain a balanced mezcal in aromas and strong flavors, this agave is mainly found on the top of the mountains and due to its beauty it bears the name "Mexican" it can be found in the Mixteca but mainly in Oaxaca.

Difference between mezcal and tequila

A variety of mezcal is tequila, a drink that gets its name from the town where it is produced (Tequila (Jalisco)) and whose process has been fully industrialized, a situation that generates the great difference between tequila and artisanal mezcal. Unlike mezcal, tequila can only be made from agave Tequilana Weber, blue variety, while mezcal can be used as raw material, all species of agave found within the area with designation of origin mezcal.

Birthplace

• Mezcal in Oaxaca (southern Mexico)

In Mexico, different liquors are produced and consumed that make the residents proud and give identity to the regions, and in Oaxaca it is mezcal. Like tequila, mezcal comes from a variety of agave, and its process is completely artisanal. In the vicinity of Oaxaca it is possible to visit factories that guarantee to have a very personal touch in each variety of their drinks. The espadín, arroquense and tobalá agaves are three of the species that, fermented and distilled, produce as many varieties of mezcal. Sprat and arroquense are products of the crop, while tobalá is a wild agave that is the most common in the production of mezcal. Unlike tequila, which is only made with blue agave, mezcal varieties are made with a mix of different agave families. The peasants wait patiently for the stalk to grow, as it will take about seven years for the plant to mature.

The process begins when the farmer separates the pineapple from the stems, leaves and roots that surround it. Once the pineapples are obtained, they are cooked and then ground. The resulting bagasse is left to settle in large, fragrant vats. Already here, the process requires calm and patience to wait for the bagasse to ferment; at this point, the liquid passes into the stills.

This is the moment in which the artisan develops his particular way of endowing the future mezcal with its characteristic flavor. In the preparation of the authentic tobalá mezcal, it is essential that the process takes place in clay pots. Finally, it should be noted that there are different varieties or types of Oaxacan mezcal: reposado, añejo, minero, breast and little worm.

Elaboration process

The production of mezcal is artisanal and therefore varies from region to region. However, a more or less homogeneous process is determined that follows the following stages:

1. Cultivation and harvest. The process begins with the cultivation of the maguey. The sowing takes place in the most diverse lands, and its cultivation is within what is now known as organic agriculture, since no artificial products are used in it. The agave takes between 8 and 10 years to be "at its peak."
2. Selection of the most suitable raw material. For generations, mezcal agaves have been selected from wild plants and have been improved. The grower has to verify its good condition so that they cut it.
3. Cut the pineapples. Later, the leaves and roots are cut until the center of the maguey is exposed, this form of the maguey is commonly known as "pineapple".
4. Tscraped to the palenque. The transfer of the pineapples to the palenques or mezcal factories is done in carts pulled by oxen or cargo trucks, depending on the amount and type of land where the collection has been made. The palenques are generally located near the plantations where they find the necessary resources to process the pineapples such as firewood and water. It should be ensured that they are roofed and that they have a cement floor.

5. Cooking. Then comes the cooking of the pineapples. Before putting them in the deck oven, the pineapples are chopped with an ax to make cooking easier. The oven can be of two types and varies depending on its use. Generally we see them covered with refractory stone, they are located in places where mezcal is produced in large quantities, they are mainly found in the municipalities of Tlacolula, Yautepec and Ejutla. The oven has had to be preheated until the stones present a red-hot color, then the pineapples are placed, covered with bagasse and then with earth. Baking takes approximately three days to achieve full cooking. At the end of this phase, the agave changes from white to caramel, which is an indication of a good cooking, since it has been possible "that the carbohydrates or starches contained in the pineapples are transformed into sugars".
6. Grinding. It is generally carried out in an Egyptian mill, consisting of a cement well with a central post and a stone wheel that turns by the traction of a beast of burden controlled by a person. The cooked agave is also crumbled and crushed to obtain the musts that will be used for fermentation.
7. Fermentation. The musts are transported to oak or oak wood vats that can hold up to two thousand liters. The fermentation process has two fundamental elements: water and temperature. The time it takes to ferment will depend on the latter; that goes from three to five days. Natural fermentation allows microorganisms to act freely and break down carbohydrates to convert them into ethyl alcohol. You can help the process without altering it, alternately pouring hot and cold water to support the microorganisms. However, it has been observed that some mezcaleros use ammonium sulfate to shorten fermentation times to increase their production. This form of fermentation is called accelerated, but "mezcaleros say that the taste of mezcal changes if any substance is added to accelerate fermentation."
8. Distillation. At the end of the fermentation process, the cooked musts called "tepache" are passed to the alembics to carry out the distillation. This is done with bagasse and with equipment made of copper, clay pots, reed or quiote; depending on the region, customs or productive capacity. The mixture is heated in the alembic, evaporates and slowly condenses through a coil that deposits its contents in a container.

9. Packing. It is the last phase of the process, for this the mezcaleros standardize the product through various methods such as homogenization and stabilization of the mezcal. First there is the adjustment of the alcoholic degree, which according to the NOM of mezcal should be between 36 and 55% alcohol over volume. This is done according to each producer. Some mezcaleros use a reed pipette and a small container where they pour the mezcal, they observe the formation of bubbles that is made and depending on the size of these “pearls” it is determined whether the mezcal is of good quality or not. Other modern means for the homogenization of the product is through laboratory tests that allow the distillate to be given the same graduation through various methods of dilution, filtration and aging. Thus, "a pure, persistent, bright and full-bodied young drink" can be obtained, ready to be packaged according to the producers' brands. Packing plants have diverse characteristics, from manual to semi-automatic packaging. These help to carry out an adequate quality control of the mezcal; However, there is also bulk mezcal, which is more for local consumption, or also small producers that do not have registered trademarks and pack their mezcal in glass or black clay containers completely by hand.

Agave species (maguey)

• Mezcal is from Agave vivipara Haw variety, and has more sugars and is larger. In Zacatecas, both blue agave (region of the canyons of Juchipila, Jalpa, etc.) and Salmiana Agave (southeast region, Pinos and Villa Hidalgo).
• For tequila, only agave is used Tequilana Weber, blue variety.

Flavor

• Mezcal has a strong aromatic flavor of sweet, earthy and smoky citrus notes.
• Tequila too, but with a tendency to be neutral.

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Ro-House » Oaxaca »La Guelaguetza

The Guelaguetza It is an ancient tradition with pre-Hispanic roots related to agricultural ceremonies of gratitude to the gods for the arrival of the rains and the lifting of the harvest at the end of July and is the largest festival in Oaxaca. La Guelaguetza is a celebration of gratitude for the arrival of the rains and the harvests, in which representatives from all regions of the state gather in the capital to share their culture through dances, crafts and food.

La Guelaguetza is celebrated every year on the two Mondays after July 16, except when the first Monday is July 18, Benito Juárez's death anniversary.

Many types of dances also participate, such as the traditional Flor de Piña; where women usually dress in Huipiles representing the different regions of the state, as well as with their pineapple on their shoulders, they comb their hair with beautiful long braids accompanied by their ribbons and can not missing her accessories that is, bracelets, necklaces and earrings of precious colors and her beautiful makeup.

The origins

Apparently, this festival has its origin in colonial times and is related to the so-called Corpus Christi festival of the Carmen Alto Church, a temple that the Carmelites built on the slopes of a hill that the Zapotecs had called Bella Vista, and it was celebrated on the Sunday following July 16 and was repeated eight days later in the so-called "eighth."

Festivities in Honor of La Virgen del Carmen Alto

The Corpus Christi festivals faithfully followed the Spanish tradition and were celebrated as part of the ritual of the Catholic temples in the city, then called Antequera. The coincidence between both festivals, the indigenous and the Spanish, facilitated the syncretism that gave rise to the Cerro Mondays festivities, in which the Oaxacan tradition is still preserved with great enthusiasm, which, moreover, is clearly related with the popular belief that Mondays are auspicious days for festive rites.

The Festivities of «Los Mondays del Cerro»

The Hill Monday Festivities take place throughout the month of July with folkloric presentations, concerts, exhibitions, cultural and sports events, standing out:

• La Guelaguetza (Guelaguetza Auditorium)
• The Parade of Delegations
• The Legend of Princess Donají
• The Mezcal and Gastronomic Fair
• As well as many other events and activities within the City and its surroundings.

Guelaguetza is a Zapotec word that denotes the act of participating in cooperation; It is a free gift that carries with it no obligation other than that of reciprocity. The Guelaguetza of the Monday of the Hill is expressed in the offering to the City of Oaxaca that representative groups of the eight traditional regions make:

The Central Valleys, La Sierra Juárez (North), La Cañada, Papaloapan, La Mixteca, La Costa, La Sierra Sur and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Each delegation presents a sample of its cultural heritage through dances that they perform to the sound of music and songs that are their own, wearing the gala clothing of their respective towns. At the end, each group distributes its "Guelaguetza" to the public, made up of objects characteristic of their respective regions.

Parades of the Delegations

Recently, other folkloric shows for popular recreation have been added to these festivals, such as the parade of the delegations organized in the manner of the traditional Calenda and which takes place on the Saturday before the first Monday.

This calenda is headed by the "marmota", which is a large spherical lantern covered with cloth, the "giants", the "Chinese oaxaqueñas", women of the city carrying baskets of flowers accompanied by their band and the rockets; They are followed by the other delegations, each one preceded by the music of their region.

The Goddess Centéotl

As part of the Cerro Mondays festivities, the Secretariat of Cultures and Arts of Oaxaca (Seculta), and the Organizing Committee of these celebrations invite Oaxacan women from the eight regions of the entity, to participate in the Contest to choose to the representative of the Goddess Centéotl.

Presentation of the legend of Princess Donají

The General Coordination of Muncipal Tourism presents this show, which has become one of the strongest and indelible traditions of Oaxacans within the Cerro Mondays festivities. The Folkloric Ballet of Oaxaca stages this legend in this great show of music, light and dance. It takes place on Sunday afternoon, before the presentation of the Guelaguetza on "Monday of the Hill."

Presentation at the «Guelaguetza Auditorium»

On Monday at five in the morning, the "chirimeteros" of the Central Valleys play the "mañanitas" on the hill, with whistles, drums and shawms, while people begin to arrive at Cerro del Fortin, where the Auditorium is located. Guelaguetza, where you can enjoy a succulent Oaxacan lunch, before entering the auditorium where the marimba and the chirimeteros offer an audition to the audience. At ten in the morning the Guelaguetza begins.

The Mezcal Fair

Gallery, gastronomic exhibition, cultural and artistic forum in an area of eight thousand 900 square meters in the shape of a cross is the extension that the Oaxaca National Mezcal Fair occupies in the Parque Paseo Juárez "El Llano".

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Ro-House » Oaxaca »Monte Alban

Monte Alban It is the most important archaeological zone of the Oaxacan entity, of unique regional importance due to the religious, political and economic control that the Zapotec state exercised over the population of the Valley of Oaxaca for more than thirteen centuries. It has been appointed by the UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Humanity together with the city of Oaxaca on December 11, 1987.

The heritage of the Zapotec world reaches us through the magnificent archaeological sites designed in the Valley of Oaxaca. Of these, the city of Monte Albán stands out for its enormous importance as an economic, political and religious hub (it was the first urban complex in Mesoamerica); by its extension, almost as big as the current capital of Oaxaca; and for its long life, started around 500 BC and concluded around 850 AD

The city is surrounded by several mountains strategically located at the confluence of the arms that form the great Valley of Oaxaca. There are three groups that make up the site: Monte Alban, Atzompa and The rooster, all configured by archaeological monuments on the peaks and by series of cultivation terraces on the slopes.

Museum

Reopened in November 1994, the Monte Albán Site Museum houses part of the collection of Engraved Stelae found in the archaeological zone, which show the development of the writing system during the four phases of the Zapotec occupation of this archaeological site (500 BC- 800 AD). With a selection of pieces mostly from the 1992-1994 Special Archeology Project, the Site Museum introduces visitors to all relevant topics of the pre-Hispanic Zapotec world: architecture, chronology, ceramics, writing, commerce and funerary practices.

The archaeological city of Monte Albán is located at a maximum height of 400 meters above the level of the Valley and 1900 above sea level. It is located towards the west side of the Atoyac River, about seven kilometers from the center of the city of Oaxaca, with which it communicates by tourist access, west of the Tecnológico de Oaxaca, or by the route that emerges from San Juan Chapultepec , which is reached via the food market.

The Archaeological Zone of Monte Albán can be reached from the city of Oaxaca de Juárez by two routes: the first of them is through the old highway to Monte Albán (towards Xoxocotlán), passing through the communities of San Juan Chapultepec and San Martín Mexicapan; the second way is the highway that leads to Santa María Atzompa, taking the deviation towards Monte Albán; both with a journey of 10 km and an approximate travel time of 25 minutes from the city center.

Site description

Its main buildings: The Great Plaza, Ball Court, System II, Los Danzantes, Building “J”, Central Buildings G, H, I, The Palace, South Platform, System 7 Venado, Tomb number 7 and The Great Plaza. It is 200 more long by 200 meters wide, so the rock ledges had to be trimmed and some gaps filled.

Ball game

It is located to the left of the entrance to the Great Plaza, generally presents the characteristics of the ball games of the region, it is believed that the rings were installed with wooden posts, hence the absence of these in the area.

System II

It is a two-section structure with a stairway, flanked by two rafters, finished in slopes and double scapular panels. In the upper part there is a small temple with a rectangular base with five columns in front and as many in the back without side walls; To the south of this element there is a roofed tunnel with an angular vault that communicates with the central buildings.

The Dancers

This three-section building belongs to period III B, with sloping walls covered with sculpted tombstones with representations of human figures in very strange positions and with physical features characteristic of Olmec sculpture.

The Observatory, Building "J"

It is separated from the other buildings, it is undoubtedly one of the most interesting, due to its orientation and shape. It resembles an arrowhead, it is of two bodies, its stairway is oriented towards the northwest, its walls are vertical, covered with tombstones with inscriptions, it is believed that the previous chamber served for astronomical observations but this is not proven; this building belongs to period II.

GHI Central Buildings

These buildings are located in the central part of the great square. The central building "H" is the largest, it has two bodies, with a large staircase, two tombs and the temple in the upper part with two chambers and two columns at the entrance, very close to the side walls. It is believed that this building belongs to period III A, it continued to be used at the end of period III b. In front of the main staircase there is a small temple with a quadrangular base, in which the famous mask of the Bat God was found, made of jade.

The palace

It is a structure made up of two bodies, with a central staircase, with balustrades finished in the shape of a slope, it has 13 rooms in the upper part grouped around a central patio, on the entrance to this set there is a lintel, recently placed.

South Platform

It is a very large structure that closes the square on that side. Of two bodies, in the upper part there are two mounds, from this place the great ceremonial plaza can be fully observed. In the lower part of this and in the corners are embedded several stelae with reliefs of zoomorphic figures, as well as some offerings.

System 7 Venison

To get to this place it is advisable to walk on the upper part of the south platform, towards the southeast which is located about 250 meters away from the main square. There are four structures around a square oriented towards the four cardinal points.

Tomb No. 7

When exploring it on January 6, 1932, the Mexican archaeologist Dr. Alfonso Caso, found a burial with a rich amount of offerings, considered a great archaeological treasure, which is exposed in the Regional Museum of Oaxaca. The layout of the tomb has a rectangular base, consisting of an antechamber and a chamber with an angular vault cover. It is one of the few that have been found, although already deteriorated with its offerings intact.

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