1. By: Stella Cherise and Breon
History of the Zapotec
By: Stella Cherise and Breon

2. When Dominant/important dates
Around 1400 B.C.
One of the fist Meso-americans to build ritual buildings made of plaster
800 B.C A.D
Largest group in Ozaka
B.C.
Military use or writing reached a new height
B.C
Developed a writing system with hieroglyphs
500 B.C
Created the first North American first full state CW

3. When Dominant/Important Dates
B.C.
Military use of writing reached a new height
300B.C-700 A.D
Capital at Monte Alban
A.D.
Reached zenith CW

4. A common urn represented Cocijo, the Rain God
The religion of the Zapotec was a mix of roman catholic and Christianity.
They believed that they were born out of rocks, trees, and jaguars.
A priest made religious rites. And sometimes they had human sacrifices.
The Zapotecs along with worshipping gods they worshipped their ancestors, and believed in an underworld.
Zapotec Religion might have led to pre-hispanic religion
Their tombs were elaborate, underground rooms which were made by artisans. Over the doorways were pottery urns that had gods on them, which were thought of as the guardians of the dead.
R E L I G I O N
A common urn represented Cocijo, the Rain God
Zapotec Gods & Goddesses
Cocijo – The god of rain
Cozibo – The god of Sun and War fare
Pecala – The god of Love, Dreams, Excesses SL

5. Zapotec Religion
The bodies were laid on the floor and covered in decorated fabrics and other materials.
there were symbols painted on the walls showing that the body belonged to priests and gods.
Within the chambers were found ear ornaments, figurines, pebbles carved in the shape of heads, and mosaics and other wall decorations made of pieces of jade and other stones placed in stucco.
On the hills surrounding Monte Alban and Zapotec, simple burials and tombs were placed, which indicates that they belonged to people of not as wealthy class.

6. A G R I C U L T U R E “agricultural city-dwelling people”
Zapotec society is arranged around central villages or towns which has an agricultural base.
They did some hunting, fishing, and gathering of wild foods.
Agriculture is based on ‘slash-and-burn’ to clear land, along with plow and oxen which were used in cultivation.
There was a big soil erosion problem, so they built terraces to keep the soil from eroding
Farmers grew their crops in deeper soil
The main plants grown were corn, beans, squash, herbs, flowers and fruit trees coffee, wheat, and sugarcane SL

7. Weakness/Downfall They didn’t have a strong military power
The Mixtec invaded
The civilization fell from the use of military power by
They traveled to a new location where under control by the Aztec
They had many rebellions while under the rule of the Aztec
Later came to be ruled by the Spanish CW

8. Strengths
They were very good negotiators which allowed them to trade in a better way
Advanced culture
They built advanced houses
Lived in large villages
Houses constructed with stone and mortar
Number system
The number system allowed them to count
Able to use their knowledge of science
Create a calendar
Religious ceremonies
Record historic dates
Know when there were going to be eclipses CW

9. Zapotec political Organization
The Zapotec community was divided into three groups; kings ,priests, nobles. Becoming a king or a priest was inherited.
The Chief was the supreme head.
Since kings, priests, and nobles were the highest in the status they live inside the city.
Kings and priests were buried in tombs in Monte Alban, Zapotec capital.
Zapotec’s greatest king was Cosijoeza. BW

10. Zapotec political Organization
Merchants were in the middle level of status. They had certain privileges that the underclassmen didn’t get.
The underclassman included artisans, peasants, hunters, and fisherman.
Middle and underclassmen lived on hillsides and in dwellings made of perishable material. BW

11. Zapotec Art The Zapotecs mastered art.
Sculpture were dedicated to the gods and important rulers.
Funerary urns that they made were placed at the entrance of a tomb to protect the burial.
Many tombs were painted with gods and past rulers. BW

12. Zapotec Art Necklaces were made out of gold.
Bowls were made out of alabaster.
They also carved carving in jade.
For fishing they made nets and fishhooks out of fish bone. BW

13. Zapotec Trade
The major trading items were crops, pottery, jewelry, and carvings.
The Zapotec’s used a marketplace system. Maize, maguey, coconuts, bananas, coffee, and mangoes were cash crops, easily marketable.
Trade routes went through out Oaxaca. BW

14. Zapotec Trade
Not only would they trade goods but they would trade ideas.
They would trade ideas about their writing system and calendar.
They were also skilled negotiators.

15. Bibliography
"Zapotec culture." World History: Ancient & Medieval. ABC-CLIO.
“Zapotec Economy.” Countries and Their Cultures. Every Culture.
“Oaxaca.” All Empires. All Empires Online History Community.
“Zapotec.” Zapotec. Native Americans.
Simon, Kate. Mexico: Places and Pleasures. Cleveland and New York: The World Company,
Burland, C.a. The Gods of Mexico. New York: First American Edition, BW

16. "Zapotec. " Ancienct Scripts. 6 Oct. 2007 http://www. ancientscripts
"Zapotec Civilization." Wikipedia. 5 Oct
"Zapotec Culture." World History: Ancient and Medival Era. 7 Oct
"Zapotec." MSN Encarta. 7 Oct CW

17. "Classic Period. " The Zapotecs, Mesamerica. 6 Oct. 2007 http://www
"Oaxaca Valley, Zapotec."; The Zapotecs. 6 Oct <
"The Ancient Cultures." Morbid Outlook-Funerary Practices in the Ancient Americas. 6 Oct SL