Mexico

Guiengola

Zapotec fortified city, Post-Classic (1350–1521)

Location

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Historical Context

About

Guiengola is a Zapotec archeological site located 14 km (8.7 mi) north of Tehuantepec, and 243 km (151 mi) southeast of Oaxaca city on Federal Highway 190. The visible ruins are located between a hill and a river, each carries the name of Guiengola. The name means "large stone" in the local variant of the Zapotec language. There are two main tombs that have been excavated, and both seem to be family interment sites. Both have front chambers that are for religious idols, while the rear chambers are for the burial of important people. The site also has fortified walls, houses, ballgame fields, other tombs and a very large "palace" with remains of artificial ponds and terraces. In the center of the site are 2 plazas, one lower than the other, and 2 pyramids, one to the east and one to the west.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Oto-manguean divergence

c. 1500 BCE

Zapotec origins

late 6th century BCE

Earliest known Zapotec writing (Monument 3)

c. 500–600 BCE

City construction (Post-Classic)

1350–1521

Ahuizotl's campaigns and Cocijoeza's defense

1486–1502

Early archaeological investigations

1892

Subsequent 19th-century study

1896

Modern research

1970s

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Defensive Structures

Defensive WallsFortresses
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Water Management Features

Fish Ponds
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Public and Civic Structures

PlazasAdministrative BuildingsBallgame Courts
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Burial and Funerary Structures

TombsPyramids
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Religious and Ritual Structures

AltarsCeremonial Platforms
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Agricultural and Land Use Features

Terraces
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Domestic and Habitation Structures

HousesPalaces
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Environmental and Natural Features

Landscaped Earthworks
Knowledge Base

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Reference

Details

Country

Mexico

Coordinates

16.39° N, -95.32° E