An exceptionally well-preserved Zapotec Tomb dating to around 600 CE, recently uncovered in Mexico, vastly expands archaeologists’ knowledge of the ancient Mesoamerican civilization.
Located in what is now the present-day Mexican state of Oaxaca, the Zapotecs were a highly sophisticated people. The announcement of the find by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) was so significant that it was made by the President of Mexico herself, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, providing important new clues to the history and beliefs of the ancient Zapotec.
Zapotec Tomb
The Zapotec Tomb discovered by INAH researchers is notable for two reasons: its exceptionally high level of preservation and the wealth of information it contains, reports La Brujula Verde. Many discoveries from this period are only fragments, but the newly discovered tombs represent a complete narrative in a ritual space. Analysis of the tomb reveals evidence for the Zapotecs’ society, rituals, and cosmology through architecture and painted murals.
According to the INAH researchers, the location is one of the most complex funerary sites ever discovered in the region, both architecturally and symbolically. The structure consists of an antechamber and a funerary chamber, adorned with sculpted or painted elements that depict Zapotec society and religion.
Clearly marking the building as a tomb, an owl—symbolizing night and death to the Zapotec—embellishes the antechamber’s entrance. Adding a deeper layer of symbolism, the owl’s beak covers a painting of a male face, which archaeologists suggest represents the individual interred at the site. The exact identity remains unclear, though; it may also represent an ancestor who would intercede between the newly departed descendant and the Zapotec gods.
Crossing the Threshold
The threshold into the funerary chamber features carved stone lintels at each side, with precise genealogical records written at the top. Elaborate figures of a man and woman wearing headdresses and holding artifacts cover the jambs of the passageway. Archaeologists interpret their stances and placement as indicators that these represent eternal guardians of the sacred space, whose role is to guard the interred and hold the boundary between life and death.
Researchers were surprised to discover that the interior walls of the funerary chamber were intact, preserving a painted mural for a millennium and a half. In the painting, a procession of figures carries an offering of the sacred aromatic tree resin called copal. They are outlined in firm strokes and painted in mineral-derived pigments: ochre, white, green, red, and blue. The INAH archaeologists say that this painting documents the actual funerary ritual held at the site, revealing the lived world of the Zapotecs.
Preserving Zapotec Material Culture
Archaeologists are under heavy pressure to document the tomb as quickly as possible. Although the mural is incredibly well preserved for now, it is also very fragile. Plant roots and insect colonies, along with fluctuations in humidity and temperature, all place stress on delicate paintings. INAH Oaxaca researchers are working to stabilize the space’s microclimate to stave off these environmental hazards, buying time to meticulously photograph the mural, a process that cannot be rushed.
Other materials at the site provide researchers with broader insight into the Zapotecs. Analyzing ceramics provides new information about their chronology and exchange networks throughout the region. Additionally, work continues on the mural and reliefs, with the hope that the calendrical inspirations will eventually reveal the name and date of death of the individual interred.
Skeletal remains have yet to be recovered, but could reveal a tremendous amount about the entombed individual’s health, diet, origin, and cause of death. Going forward, researchers will seek to compare the site to other Zapotec tombs discovered at Monte Albán or Lambityeco, and altogether, researchers hope this vast body of information will improve our understanding of Zapotec society, ceremonies, and cosmology.
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.