Zapotec peoples

Zapotec refers to a native people of Mexico, their language family consisting of more than fifteen languages, and their historic culture and traditions. Based on the evidence to date (2006), the Zapotecs independently invented writing in the Western Hemisphere.

Location

The Zapotec people are centered in Oaxaca, to the south of central Mexico. In Pre-Columbian times they were one of the major Mesoamerican civilizations. Archeological evidence shows their culture goes back some 2500 years. They left archaelogical evidence at the earlier and impressive ancient city of Monte Albán; in the form of buildings, ball courts, magnificent tombs and grave goods including finely worked gold jewelry. Monte Albán was the first major city in the western hemisphere and the center of a Zapotec State that dominated much of what we know of as the current state of Oaxaca.

Technology

The Zapotecs developed a calendar and a logophonetic system of writing that used a separate glyph to represent each of the syllables of the language. This writing system is considered to be the basis of the other Mesoamerican writing systems developed by the Maya, Mixtec, and Aztec civilizations. In the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, there were Zapotec and Mixtec artisans living in the city whose occupation was to fashion jewelry for the Aztec Tlatoanis, or rulers. These included the famous Motecuhzoma II. Relations with central Mexico go back much further however, as attested by the archeological remains of a Zapotec neighborhood within Teotihuacan and a Teotihuacan styled "guest house" on Monte Albán. Other important Pre-Columbian Zapotec sites include Lambityeco, Dainzu, Mitla, Yagul, San Jose Mogote, and Zaachila.

Religion

They had an elaborate religious system, and human sacrifices were offered. They were polytheistic. Principal deities included the rain god Cocijo, the equivalent of Tlaloc of the Mexicas.

Mexican conquest

At the time of the conquest of Mexico they had only been partially conquered by the Mexicas ("Aztecs"), the king being forced to flee to rule from another city. They were defeated by the Spaniards only after several campaigns between 1522 and 1527, not submitting finally until 1551. They were a sedentary race and well advanced in civilization, living in large villages and towns, in houses constructed with stone and mortar. They recorded the principal events in their history by means of hieroglyphics, and in warfare they made use of a cotton armour. The well-known ruins of Mitla have been attributed to them and were claimed to be the tombs of their ancestors.

The Zapotec today

There are approximately 300,000 to 400,000 Zapotec people living in Mexico today. Many of them still speak only their native language. Though they are now largely Catholics, some of their ancient beliefs and practices, such as burying money with the dead, still survive. The first missionaries among the Zapotecas were Bartolomé de Olmeda, a Mercedarian, and Juan Díaz, a secular priest, who was martyred by the natives in Quechula near Tepeaca for having overthrown their idols.

The most famous Zapotec person in modern times was Benito Juárez, generally regarded as Mexico's greatest President.

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• Zapotec Culture (in English and Spanish)
• Zapotec Language (including variants, in English and Spanish)