Home Region: Mexico (North America)

Monte Alban II

100 BCE 200 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 mx_monte_alban_2 / MxAlb2*

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

300 BCE 100 BCE Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

200 CE 500 CE Monte Alban III (mx_monte_alban_3_a) [continuity]

Displayed:

Learn more about polity border choices. Map Modern Map only Opacity Year Play rate (y/s)
Hit enter after changing the year or setting the play rate.

General Description

The Monte Albán II period runs from 100 to 200 CE. The Zapotec state, which had formed in the previous (Late I) phase, ^[1] ^[2] was now fully established with the capital at Monte Albán. The Zapotecs extended their territory further during this period, to include the rest of the Valley of Oaxaca as well as territories much further afield (including Miahuatlán, Cuicatlán, Tututepec, Ocelotepec, Chiltepec and the Sola Valley). ^[3] ^[4] The place names recorded in the ’conquest slabs’ at Monte Albán can still be identified in some cases (as they are still called by those names) and may indicate that the territorial limits of the Zapotec state during this period were around 85-150 kilometres from Monte Albán. ^[5]
Population and political organization
The first evidence for ’rulers’, identified in hieroglyphic inscriptions, comes from this period, and the earliest ruler’s portrait dates to around 100 CE. Nobles were also ritual specialists and officiated human sacrifices. ^[6]
Evidence for conquests includes the burning of conquered settlements, the presence of Zapotec material culture and propaganda (including a skull rack displaying the heads of conquered people) and references to defeated areas carved on the ’conquest slabs’ displayed in Building J on the Main Plaza of Monte Albán. ^[7] Monumental construction flourished during this period, with standardized temples, palaces and ball courts built around the paved Main Plaza at Monte Albán. Secondary sites, such as San José Mogote, imitated the constructions at Monte Albán with similar (although smaller) temples and central plazas. ^[8]
The Valley of Oaxaca Settlement Pattern Project estimates a decline in population by up to 32% (from roughly 50,000) during this period, based on the abandonment or shrinkage of some settlements (even though this was in part due to the nucleation of the population at larger centres such as Monte Albán). ^[9] Archaeologists Joyce Marcus and Kent Flannery, however, suggest that this perceived decrease in population is partly due to the very high estimates given by the Settlement Pattern Project for the previous phase. ^[10]

[1]: (Spencer and Redmond 2003) Charles S. Spencer and Elsa M. Redmond. 2003. ’Militarism, Resistance, and Early State Development in Oaxaca, Mexico’. Social Evolution & History 2 (1): 25-70.

[2]: (Spencer and Redmond 2004) Charles S. Spencer and Elsa M. Redmond. 2004. ’Primary State Formation in Mesoamerica’. Annual Review of Anthropology 33: 173-99.

[3]: (Balkansky 1998, 462) A. K. Balkansky. 1998. ’Origin and Collapse of Complex Societies in Oaxaca, Mexico: Evaluating the Era from 1965 to the Present’. Journal of World Prehistory 12 (4): 451-93.

[4]: (Balkansky 2002, 50) A. K. Balkansky. 2002. The Sola Valley and the Monte Albán State: A Study of Zapotec Imperial Expansion. Prehistory and Human Ecology of the Valley of Oaxaca, Volume 12. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology.

[5]: (Marcus and Flannery 1996, 197) Joyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery. 1996. Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley. London: Thames and Hudson.

[6]: (Joyce 2009, 144-45) Arthur A. Joyce. 2009. Mixtecs, Zapotecs, and Chatinos: Ancient Peoples of Southern Mexico. Malden, MA: Wiley‐Blackwell.

[7]: (Spencer and Redmond 2003, 28) Charles S. Spencer and Elsa M. Redmond. 2003. ’Militarism, Resistance, and Early State Development in Oaxaca, Mexico’. Social Evolution & History 2 (1): 25-70.

[8]: (Balkansky 1998, 462-63) A. K. Balkansky. 1998. ’Origin and Collapse of Complex Societies in Oaxaca, Mexico: Evaluating the Era from 1965 to the Present’. Journal of World Prehistory 12 (4): 451-93.

[9]: (Blanton et al. 1979, 379) Richard E. Blanton, Jill Appel, Laura Finsten, Steve Kowalewski, Gary Feinman and Eva Fisch. 1979. ’Regional Evolution in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico’. Journal of Field Archaeology 6 (4): 369-90.

[10]: (Marcus and Flannery 1996, 172-73) Joyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery. 1996. Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley. London: Thames and Hudson.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

2 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2) was in:
(100 BCE 199 CE)	Valley of Oaxaca

Home NGA: Valley of Oaxaca

General Variables

Identity and Location Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	14 Q	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Original Name	Monte Alban II	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Capital	Monte Albán	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Late Preclassic	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Late Formative	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Temporal Bounds Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	200 BCE
Loading...

Duration	[100 BCE ➜ 200 CE]
Loading...

Political and Cultural Relations Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---]	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Succeeding Entity	MxAlb3A	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Preceding Entity 300 BCE 100 BCE	Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late) [continuity]
Loading...

Succeeding Entity 200 CE 500 CE	Monte Alban III (mx_monte_alban_3_a) [continuity]
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	unitary state	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Language Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Otomanguean	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Language	Zapotec	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Religion Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	14,500 people	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Polity Territory	20,000 km²	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Polity Population	[40,000 to 50,000] people	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Hierarchical Complexity Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Religious Level	- Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Military Level	2	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Administrative Level	- Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Professions Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Professional Priesthood	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Professional Military Officer	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Bureaucracy Characteristics Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Examination System	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Law Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Judge	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Formal Legal Code	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Court	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Irrigation System	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Food Storage Site	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Drinking Water Supply System	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Transport Infrastructure Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Port	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Canal	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Bridge	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Special-purpose Sites Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Information / Writing System Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Script	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Nonwritten Record	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Non Phonetic Writing	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Mnemonic Device	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Information / Kinds of Written Documents Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Sacred Text	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Religious Literature	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Practical Literature	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Philosophy	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

History	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Fiction	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Calendar	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Information / Money Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Precious Metal	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Paper Currency	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Foreign Coin	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Article	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Information / Postal System Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

General Postal Service	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Courier	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Information / Measurement System Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Modern Fortification	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moat	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Earth Rampart	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Ditch	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Complex Fortification	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Long Wall	unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Military use of Metals Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Iron	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Copper	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Bronze	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Projectiles Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Sling	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Self Bow	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Javelin	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Handheld Firearm	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Crossbow	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Composite Bow	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Atlatl	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Handheld weapons Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Sword	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Spear	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Polearm	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Dagger	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Battle Axe	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Animals used in warfare Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Elephant	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Donkey	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Dog	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Camel	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Armor Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Shield	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Scaled Armor	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Plate Armor	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Laminar Armor	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Helmet	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Chainmail	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Naval technology Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
Loading...

Human Sacrifice Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More