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Vanished Mesoamerican Civilizations: The History and Cultures of the Zapotecs and Mixtecs
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Comments/Reviews
Description: Reflecting extensive archaeological fieldwork carried out under the author's direction, and richly illustrated throughout, this is the first comprehensive reference on two great but little-known Mesoamerican cultures that flourished for thousands of years in the present-day southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. The Zapotecs were skilled builders who constructed one of early America's most magnificant architectural complexes on the hilltop pf Monte Alban, a site that includes elaborately crafted temples, plaza, tombs and statuary. The nearby Mixtecs lived in smaller units and created fabulous mosaics, sculpture, and jewelry. They also developed a pictographic system of writing, which they drew on exquisite polychrome pottery and deersking codices.
Through careful dechiphering and analysis of written, artistic, and architectural remains, Ancient Mesoamericans provides extraordinary glimpses of these two very different societies, their culture, rituals, and daily lives.
Selected Contents:
Foreword by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma
Introduction: THE REGION OF OAXACA
Chapter 1: A HISTORY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN OAXACA
Chroniclers and Travelers of the Colonial Era
Travelers and Expeditions of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
The "Proyecto Monte Albßn," 1931-1949
Contemporary Archaeology
Chapter 2: THE ZAPOTECS
The Environment
The Mythical Origins of the Zapotecs
Language
Chronology
The First Inhabitants
The Lithic or Preceramic Period
The Formative Period: The Early Villages
Tierras Largas, San Jose Mogote, and Dainzu
The Classic Period and the Splendor of Monte Albßn
The Postclassic Period: The Militarist Era
Mitla: The Great City of the East Valley
Lambityeco
Yagul
Huijaz=o
Social Organization and Funerary Practices
The Tombs: Architecture and Murals
The Population of Monte Albßn through Its Tombs and Burials
Dental Filing, Skull Deformation, and Surgical Skull Cutting
Physical Characteristics of the Inhabitants of the Central Valleys
Religion
Zapotec Art
Chapter 3: THE MIXTECS
The Environment
Language and Chronology
Economy and Subsistence
Social Organization
Political Organization
Main Settlements and Urban Centers
War
Religion and the Concept of the Universe
Mixtec Art
The Mixtec Invasion of the Central Valleys
The Archaeological Evidence
Chapter 4: OTHER REGIONS OF OAXACA
The Ca±ada
The Coast
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Appendix: THE ZAPOTEC TOMB AT HUIJAZ+O, by Marfa Luisa Franco Brizuela
The Facade
Antechamber I
Antechamber II
The Mortuary Chamber
The Doorjambs
The Stela
Conclusion
Review(s): "This captivating and richly illustrated volume provides readers with a glimpse into the ancient cultures of two obscure Mesoamerican ethnic groups -- the Zapotecs and the Mixtecs. ... The text is written in a straightforward style that should prove an enjoyable and accessible read for audiences of varying levels. This book is highly recommended for academic and public libraries, particularly those with substantial archaeology or Latin American Studies collections." -- American Reference Books Annual
    
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