that this domination was not necessarily entirely peaceful—several hundred famous “danzante” (the term derived from the view of nineteenth-century explorers that the figures were dancers) sculptures dating to 500–200 b.c., probably illustrate captured individuals and perhaps represent communities brought under the sway of Monte Albán.

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The ruins of Monte Albán in Mexico

(Gamma)

The height of Monte Albán’s power was between the third and early-eighth centuries a.d., and its culture at this time is often referred to as classic Zapotec civilization. This was the time when the huge central Mexican city of teotihuacán dominated the political map of ancient Mexico. Monte Albán was in contact with Teotihuacán, and indications are that the relationship was a smooth one, for some carved stones at Monte Albán show what appear to be peaceful emissaries arriving from Teotihuacán and being greeted by the Zapotec rulers of Monte Albán.

By a.d. 500, Monte Albán had a population of more than 20,000, with the vast majority of people living on artificial terraces on the hillside surrounding the ceremonial heart of the city. Higher up the hill, adjacent to the center, nobles lived in palace compounds, many of which included family tombs built underneath a central patio. The central, ceremonial part of Monte Albán is extremely impressive. Originally, an area measuring some 250 by 700 meters was cleared on the very summit of the 400-meter-high hill. Then a series of temples and other public structures was built in three parallel north-south rows, and at the northern end of these a huge palace complex was constructed. These buildings featured a type of architectural facade, widespread in mesoamerica at the time, called talud-tablero—a sloping base to each platform surmounted by vertical panels. The talud-tablero at Monte Albán is in a distinctive local style of architecture appropriately called “the classic Zapotec” style.

Sometime during the mid-eighth century Monte Albán went into decline, which has generally been linked with the decline of Teotihuacán shortly before. At the time, trade routes throughout Mesoamerica were disrupted, and perhaps there was no longer the need for a strong, centralized Monte Albán to act as a buffer to Teotihuacán’s might. Whatever the reason,