Monte Albán

E32990

Monte Albán is an ancient Zapotec archaeological site in Oaxaca, Mexico, renowned as one of the earliest and most important urban centers in Mesoamerican history.


Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf UNESCO World Heritage Site
Zapotec site
ancient city
archaeological site
abandoned around 800–900 CE
architecturalStyle Mesoamerican stepped pyramids
country Mexico
culture Mixtec civilization
Zapotec civilization
discoveredByArchaeology Guillermo Dupaix
distanceFromOaxacaCity about 9 kilometers
elevation about 1940 meters above sea level
founded around 500 BCE
function economic center
political center
religious center
hasBallcourt yes
heritageDesignation UNESCO World Heritage Site
inscriptions Zapotec script
early Mesoamerican writing
locatedIn Mexico
Oaxaca
Oaxaca Valley
Oaxaca state
locatedOn mountain ridge
majorExcavationBy Alfonso Caso
majorExcavationPeriod 1930s
materialUsed stone
notableFeature Building J
Danzantes reliefs
Main Plaza
ballcourts
observatory-like structure
palaces
pyramidal platforms
tombs
overlooks Oaxaca
surface form: city of Oaxaca
partOf Monte Albán self-linksurface differs
surface form: Pre-Hispanic City and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán
peakPopulation approximately 25,000 inhabitants
period Classic Mesoamerican period
Preclassic Mesoamerican period
region Mesoamerica
significance major Zapotec capital
one of the earliest urban centers in Mesoamerica
touristAttraction yes
UNESCOSiteId 415
UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteSince 1987
usedFor astronomical observations
elite burials
ritual activities

Referenced by (16)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

this entity surface form: Monte Albán (late Mixtec occupation)
Zapotec capitalCityInAntiquity Monte Albán
State of Oaxaca contains Monte Albán
this entity surface form: Monte Albán archaeological site
this entity surface form: Zapotecs at Monte Albán
subject surface form: Southern Mexico
Zapotec civilization hasCapital Monte Albán
Oaxaca hasMajorArchaeologicalSite Monte Albán
Zapotec civilization hasMajorSite Monte Albán
Oaxaca hasUNESCOWorldHeritageSite Monte Albán
this entity surface form: Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán
subject surface form: Southern Mexico
this entity surface form: Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán
this entity surface form: Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán
Zapotec majorArchaeologicalSite Monte Albán
Mesoamerica majorSite Monte Albán
Monte Albán partOf Monte Albán self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Pre-Hispanic City and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán