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First Time Reader? ......here is the background to this series of blogs:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lobo/9/1233502800/tpod.htm
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Mexico: 23 Destinations to Spend the Winter Months
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Oaxaca
no. 18 of 23 destinations (this is not a ranking)
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Part 2 of 3
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Oaxaca – Monte Alban Ruins

I have blogged a lot about Mexico’s rich colonial architecture that is evident throughout the country. Today we view it as a connection to the splendour of Old Spain.

The Spanish of course were not the first to recognize the importance of grandeur in public buildings. Their efforts at creating grandeur paled in comparison with the Aztec and the Mayan civilizations that preceded the Spaniards by many centuries .

It was left to archaeologists to uncover the wonders left by these great civilizations in various parts of Mexico and Central America.

So what are the great archaeological sights of Mexico?

For an answer to that question there is an extensive list with information and photos at:

http://www.ontheroadin.com/losgalleria/prehispanic/prehispanic.htm

http://www.emersonkent.com/map_archive/mexico_archaeological.htm

Previous to our visit to Oaxaca I had only visited two of these archaeological sites – Chichen Itza and Tulum.

My visit to Chichen Itza in 1998 was an unforgettable experience. The huge pyramid like structure was relatively easy to climb even if it was done at times on all fours due to its steepness. The surprise came when it was time to descend . Surprise is an understatement as surprise turned into terror.

Going up the steps of the steep pyramid was not a problem because it can be done with hands and feet thereby giving a feeling of security.

While descending, the only contact with the pyramid is under foot. Because of the steepness, there is nothing in front except wide open space. Therefore the two points of reference, the open space in front and the steep descent below, are both scary propositions. This had some people, including myself, resorting to descending in a fashion that I can only describe as a reverse “downward dog” on all fours with our tummies pointed towards the sky. (If anyone knows the correct terminology for this position, please let me know!) Yes, it took a long time to come back down but it was the safest way to keep contact with “terra firma”.

Despite all that, the view from the top was incredible. But in true Mexican fashion the small stone platform at the top did not have guard railings so moving about was done gingerly to avoid brushing up against anyone else .

Apparently after an accident in 2005, in which an elderly couple lost their lives after a fall, it is no longer possible to climb Chichen Itza – I am not surprised.

Getting back to Oaxaca, I once again make a confession that no blogger should make. We had no idea that two of the great archaeological sites of Mexico were just kilometres from downtown Oaxaca – Mitla Archaeological Park and Monte Alban.
Here is a look at Mitla:

http://www.mexperience.com/guide/archaeology/mitla.htm

As I have often stated, we like to use the discovery method in our travels and surely Monte Alban was an interesting “discovery”….to say the least!

Given our limited time, we decided to visit the Monte Alban Ruins that are only 10 kilometres from the city of Oaxaca.

Bus departures that leave every half hour are from the Terminal located at Mina 509 in the Centro.

Limited time indeed, as we arrived with about 45 minutes remaining before closing time.

Nevertheless it was a most impressive 45 minutes spent in one of Mexico’s great archaeological sites. I was frankly pinching myself that we had lucked upon the most important archaeological site in the state of Oaxaca located so close to the city of Oaxaca . This was another unexpected bonus.

Monte Alban is described as a pre-Columbian site meaning that it was built by the Zapotecs before the arrival of the Europeans. More specifically it dates back to about 500 BC.

Built on a flattened mountaintop, its structures include the Great Plaza surrounded by elevated platforms, temples, palaces, the ball-court, altars and tombs.

At its peak, around AD 300 it was said to have a population of 40,000 that is hard to imagine given the need for water, food and other necessities of life on a mountaintop location. Furthermore, even given its large area, it is difficult to imagine 40,000 inhabitants in this location unless the number extends to the entire region to include the present site of the city of Oaxaca.

Towards the end of the post-classical period (1350-1521 AD), the site was reused by the Mixtecs (local indigenous people) as burial grounds in the temples and palaces of the Zapotecs and to deposit offerings .

Needless to say our time restraints had us scrambling to get to the furthest limit of the “Zona Arqueologial de Monte Alban. This meant walking the length of the grassy Great Plaza and ascending the steep stairs at the far end to gain access to additional archaeological sites. In the end we were rewarded with a beautiful view over the surrounding hills. Coming down, we did not have to repeat the crazy Chichen Itza crawl as the steps were not quite as high and there was a handrail on one side.

Given my aversion to museums and sites that involve lengthy, detailed guided tours explaining the nuances of the “third gargoyle from the left”, the 45 minutes we spent in Monte Alban seemed just right. That statement is not designed in the least to denigrate the importance of Monte Alban. It is rather a reflection of my personality and perhaps my general failure to retain in a meaningful way the various time periods of civilization. Bluntly put, too much detail is not my cup of tea . That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Barbara, on the other hand, would have liked to spend a little longer time exploring the site. That was reflected in my attempts to drag her off the site before the departure of the last bus.
 
Websites of interest:

http://www.sacredsites.com/americas/mexico/monte_alban.html
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Feedback: travelswithlobo@yahoo.com
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Coming Soon:

Oaxaca – San Augustin – How Was I to Know We Were Going to France?