Architecture+of+Monte+Alban+reflected+social+hierarchies

Rodh J. Lamothe ANT3145 Spring 2009 Architecture of Monte Alban reflected social hierarchies

Between 800 and 500 BC, there was an influx of people called the Zapotecs who began the monumental exercise of leveling the top of a mountain, where they would build Monte Alban. Located in the central valley of Oaxaca, Monte Alban exercised political, economic, and ideological control over the other communities and surrounding mountains. Its principal constructions include the Great Plaza, the Ball Court, System II, The Danzantes, Building J, Central Building G.H, the Palace, the southern platform, System 7 and Tomb Number 7 of the Great Plaza. During this and the subsequent 150 years social organization unit dominated by a capital city at Monte Alban. Monte Alban probably had the longest continuous history of occupation of any ancient city in Mexico. Its roots as a sophisticated urban center were certainly among the earliest. Monte Alban with a maze of subterranean passage ways, rooms, and drainage and water storage systems clearly reflected a social hierarchy. From a architectural stand point, one can argue Monte Alban reflected a social hierachy of some sort as it appeared to be a disembedded capital. The development of Monte Alban was undertaken in several stages. These are divided into Monte Alban I through Monte Alban III. The Monte Alban I construction is mostly buried beneath later platforms. Monte Alban II construction was minimal. Monte Alban III phase was very culturally influenced which witnessed the construction of the major temples and a ball court. By the end on Monte Alban III and around 700AD, the Zapotecs abandoned the city, though the culture continued to evolve in the valley at sites, such as Mitla. The specific scenario favored by Marcus and Flannery for Monte Alban is that San Jose Mogote formed a powerful confederacy of villages in the central valley and moved its capital to a defensive hilltop location before unifying chiefdoms under its control(Flannery & Marcus 141). In some ways the creation of Monte Alban and the Zapotec culture seem to be parallel as Monte Alban was place in a defensible location which showcases an importance for political and ritualistic purposes.

Monte Alban was founded in period I about 500 B.C. Probably by households from previously existing villages in the Valley of Oaxaca. There is some evidence for status variation in period I households, with an unknown role in the early development of the city. During the three periods urban growth at Monte Alban occurred in the organization of household space from an open outward-directed focus to a closed inward-directed one. This was accompanied by households and inter-household space and by household sizes and burial treatment reflecting emergence of a social class hierarchy. These changes indicate development from a flexible to a highly structured society, which may be a general trend in urbanization. This phase marks the first occupation of Monte Alban. It is frequently suggested that these other aspects of a social hierarchy included the evidence that people in higher living occupations in higher levels of the hierarchy enjoyed a higher standard of living in terms of access to greater variety and more costly ceramic, exotic commodities. This would be consistent with an explanation of the appearance of a settlement at Monte Alban. By the end of this phase some 5,000 people lived at Monte Alban. Apart from the settlement hierarchy, social class is apparent in the appearance of social units; larger households engaged in manufacturing activities. Some suggest, because of their location near settlements that were administrative centers. Interesting to note; though there was some rainfall agriculture on the terraces and evidence of irrigation, since there is no reliable, year-round water supply, water must have been carried from sources in the flood plains, which suggests that at least during dry season, water usage was governed, except perhaps among the elite. The Monte Alban I phase is characterized by a rapid increase in and marked change in the distribution of population significant increases in both social hierarchy and social complexity. These changes were relatively rapid and together marked a radical change in the social structure of Monte Alban and its future. Such changes can be attributed to the displacement of a chiefdom type political institutions and state type political institutions. Crucial to these changes may have been developments in ritual practice and religion which is evident in many of Monte Alban’s ritualistic sites. All these developments can be associated with the emergence of what is usually taken to be the capital at Monte Alban. If Monte Alban was designed to be a center of regionl decision making then its Early I settlement pattern can be easily explained with strong supporting evidence. The various structures of Monte Alban center on the Great Plaza, a large open space which was the highest part of the city and some think corresponded to the elite quarters of the city's rulers. From this plaza, aligned north to south, there is a great view of the Oaxaca Valley. From the Great Plaza, there are many buildings to explore. Excavations at Monte Alban have revealed over 170 tombs, numerous ceremonial altars, pyramids, and palaces. Based on studies of the architecture of the buildings, tombs, ceramics, and jewelry, Monte Alban could been a place where social inequality was based on social organization, population, exchange systems, and authority.

The urban plan of Monte Alban was established in Phase II with the leveling and paving of the Great Plaza, the architectural complex that organizes space at the site. In the center is the Centraly Pyramid Complex which at one time was a single platform for three temple structures. This surely must have been the most holy of all structures at Monte Alban. The seat of government and royal residence was apparently on the North Platform, which supported a complex of courtyards and elite residences inaccessible to the common people. The entire plaza complex was sealed off making it a sacred area, At the end of the Preclassic Period, the city had almost three thousand houses. Similar to Early I residential architecture other parts of the Valley supports the view that the first residents of Monte Alban came from elsewhere in the Valley, rather than from somewhere outside.It is difficult to believe that any group other than the long established governing power which controlled the population and resources of the valleys below would be able to complete the task of building Monte Alban. At some point after then, the Zapotecs made this their new capital following the decline of San José Mogote and the subsequent eras known as Monte Alban II and III saw the creation of the incredible city we see today. From 100 to 600A.D, most of the famous structures and plazas were built and the city became the religious and economic heart of an capital whose influences were felt throughout much of the country. There are also important links with Teotihuacan in this phase such as styles of architecture and references to high-ranking marriages and trading ties which confirms a social hierarchy of some sort in Monte Alban. After 600, Monte Alban began a slow and terminal decline. The reasons, are unclear, but as its waning coincided with Teotihuacan's own slide from power, there may have been a common link in terms of political intra-fighting or the rise of other cities in the region, such as Mitla and Zaachila, who all later eclipsed this older city. Monte Alban’s emergence of pre-industrial urban centers is commonly associated with the importance of kinship ties; as people in these centers live close by non-kin for the first time, the beginnings of rigidly defined, endogamous social classes, and increasing economic specialization appear throughout the urban center as what sets members of the community apart is their status.



Throughout Monte Alban, there are many sites that can suggest by the way residents of Monte Alban lived there was a social class. For instance in site ‘Mound S’, is said to be the Palace of Monte Alban, and other elite residences. The elite at Monte Alban were based on hereditary leaders of state that emerged around 200B.C. Also ‘System IV’ is one of three complexes on the west side of the city. This temple complex was built around 450 AD, and is thought to be one of fifteen temples associated with fifteen different barrios at Monte Alban, which are residential units that housed groups of people that shared an economic status or family affiliation. Some barrios at Monte Alban were residences for foreign merchants and elites from places such like Teotihucan. The ball court at Monte Alban was built during Period III, and is typical of Mesoamerican ball courts. Ball courts are found amongst nearly all the Mesoamerican cultures. Either individuals or teams played the game. The ball game served as a social function and was mainly associated with the elite. The game could be watched by the elite from the four chambers that were at one time located above the sides of the court or from the ends of the court. To the south of the ball court is a series of platforms that at one time may have been used as palaces for the priests or rulers. Evidently showing proof of a hierarchy system of some sort during a social gathering, members of Monte Alban would be able to differ one another by class and where one would watch the game as their seating solidified their authority. Tomb 7 is significant in reference to proof of a hierarchy in early Monte Alban because it was one time a burial chamber of great architectural beauty for one of the Zapotec dignitaries who lived during the period. The tomb was discovered in 1931 by Alfonso Caso during excavation and it proved to contain one of the richest treasures of gold ever found in Mesoamerica. The burial contained the skeletal remains of what might have been a chief or ruler of the time. He was accompanied by several companions, and contained large amounts of silver, gold, turquoise, jade, and other artifacts.









Furthermore, Monte Alban was one of the first political states in Mesoamerica to encompass a sizable surrounding hinterland. Within the city stood elaborate residences and public buildings indicating the existence of nobles who probably claimed descent from the gods. Instituational architecture at Monte Alban suggest a social structure significantly suggestion social activities was based on a social hierarchy. The Zapotec people who occupied the Valley of Oaxaca around 500B.C chose a central location on a high mountainous level to build their capital. We believe it was designed to be an administrative city because the slopes were unsuitable for farming. Drinking water for instance had to be laboriously carried up the mountain on the backs of men. So the occupants of Monte Alban were of a social hierarchy. From the architecture to the burials tell us the inhabitants of Monte Alban were an elite ruling class.

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