Monte Alban

• Valley of Oaxaca
• Location : In the state of Oaxaca, 6 miles
• (9.65 kilometers) west of the city of Oaxaca.
• Culture : Zapotec/Mixtec
• Lifespan: 600 BC - 1250 AD


Inhabited over a period of 1500 years by a succession of peoples Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs - the terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Alban were literally carved out of the mountain and are the symbols of a sacred topography. Nearby, the checkerboard design of Oaxaca is a good example of the Spanish colonial architecture.

This site - on a flattened mountain top - overlooks the Valley of Oaxaca. It's a stunning view of endless mountain peaks and valleys. The world seems to be spread out at your feet. For many, Monte Alban is akin to a  spiritual experience, and you can understand why it was an important  religious center. An intriguing feature are the "danzantes," which are marvelous carvings of human figures. There are several theories as to what they represent. Some think that they are portraits of sick patients in hospitals – or perhaps people with birth defects. Others believe that they are death portraits of criminals or captured enemies, who are trapped  forever in stone in twisted, painful positions - and most likely are warnings of how powerful the rulers of Monte Alban were. Visitors are also  fascinated by what is considered to be the oldest astronomical observatory in Mesoamérica. Modern astronomers believe it points to where a super-nova appeared during that age.