Monte Alban Ruin Site
Oaxaca, Mexico
Monte Alban ruin site in Oaxaca saw its first archaeological excavation in the 1890s and then
the first modern scientific mapping and excavation in 1930 when Mexican Archaeologist Alfonso
Caso headed a 16 year excavation.  
Monte Alban Archaeological Ruin site is still just 10% excavated. The huge site sprawls over
three peaks with thousands of house sites and terraced fields still visible on the hillsides below
the platform mound complexes which comprise the museum and site that is opened to the public.
In 1932 the Caso excavations uncovered tomb 7 and the trove of Mixtec art and tomb offerings that
numbered some 500,  much of it amber, obsidian, turquoise, and lost wax process gold.  The Mixtec
people, a group that entered the region after the decline of the city, used the Zapotec tombs to bury their
royal dead, leaving the Tomb 7 offerings in the 14th century.

Monte Alban's  Zapotec builders  laid out the city with a north south orientation 1,300 feet above the River
Atoyac and the alluvial valley. Starting in 500 BC, they quarried stone from the hilltop and flattened the
peak to make a broad level plaza. By 300 AD the population had risen to 30,000 people by some
estimates. The city has stone platforms running the length of the quarter mile plaza, tombs primarily on the
eastern and northern slopes, and two ball courts.
Glyphs carved in 300 BC depict defeated leaders of neighboring villages in death some researchers
have speculated while others say the stones called the Danzantes( the Dancers)  depict sick and injured
people. Many stelae have a glyph that some claim depict a mutilated penis, while others propose this as a
symbol of fertility..

The Mixtec people , a group from the northern mountains entered the valley of Oaxaca and used the
abandoned city of Monte Alban as a burial ground. While showing respect for the bodies they found within
the old tombs, they would move skeletons and offerings aside to place their own royalty within the tombs
built lt by the Zapotec people, the original builders of Monte Alban.

Hotel Rivera del Angel has a tour bus terminal where trips to many Oaxacan sites  are available including
Monte Alban.   Round trip bus $3.80 USD  approximately. Stay two hours and then return or pay a small
sum extra to stay longer and get a later bus. Last bus from the mountain 5:00 PM
Monte Alban site open 8:00 Am to  5:00 PM
Oaxaca  Mexico Bus Travel   www.ticketbus.com.mx/  
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Dave Hilbert's  
www.SoftSeatTravel.com
Monte Alban Ruin Site in Oaxaca, Mexico is still just 10%
excavated but the huge site, one of the oldest stone building
complexes in Mexico, sprawls over three Peaks.
Monte Alban Ruin has remnants of thousands of house sites and
terraced fields  visible on the hillsides
In 750 AD the
people left the city
leaving the hilltop
complex abandoned
by 900 AD.
Monte Alban 500 BC-800 AD
Other Oaxacan ruin site within 40 miles of Oaxaca City
17* 20'   96* 59'