Around 500 BCE, roughly 2,000 people migrated from San Jose Mogote and neighboring villages to colonize a mountaintop chosen for its equidistant position among valley settlements. By 300 BCE, Monte Alban's population had grown to around 5,200. The site contains over 170 tombs, with a museum displaying ceramic urns, carved stelae, and three mummified burials.
Monte Alban founded around 500 BCE as mountaintop Zapotec capital
MexicoGeneral
Key facts
- Monte Alban Phase 1 dates from 500 to 100 BCE
- Approximately 2,000 people participated in the initial colonization around 500 BCE
- Population reached about 5,200 by around 300 BCE
- Population migrated from San Jose Mogote and neighboring satellite villages
- Site chosen for its roughly equidistant position relative to other valley settlements
- Monte Alban contains over 170 tombs distributed across the site
- Site museum displays ceramic urns, carved stelae, and three mummified burials with associated offerings
Site mentioned
Sources
lugares.inah.gob.mx
Linked in video description
lugares.inah.gob.mx
Linked in video description
lugares.inah.gob.mx
Linked in video description
Was this story useful?
Keep exploring
Every site on this page sits on the globe, and the people who research them are on the Discord.
3D Globe · Sites by country · Story Archive · Research Library · Weekly Journal · Search
AI-generated text · images from the original sources · always verify with the sources.