Alebrijes, Zapotec people, power of location and fantasy

Alebrijes, Zapotec people, power of location and fantasy

Open Ended

Bell work:

What are some natural, physical land features that allow people to make money? Name the features and how they can make people money.

Open Ended

What are some natural, physical land features that force people to get creative about how they live there? What are those features and how do they affect people?

Objetivos de aprendizaje

Meta - Today, I will be able to explain the physical characteristics of the Oaxacan region.

¿Por qué? - So that I can see what influences the Zapotec civilization of the region might have had on the creation of alebrijes.

¡Éxito! - I am successful when I describe what the Zapotec people are like.

Please open up your "Maps" app from the "Apple" folder on your iPad.

Type in, "Oaxaca, Mexico" and then select "satellite view" by selecting the "i" in the circle on the right hand side of the screen.

Open Ended

Class work:

What are some of the physical features that you notice about the Oaxacan region? Be specific.

Open Ended

What are some things that would have helped a civilization to grow and thrive in this area?

Welcome to Oaxaca, Mexico

The state of Oaxaca (wah-hah-kah) has a special magic felt by Mexicans and foreigners alike. A lighthouse of indigenous culture, it’s home to the country’s most vibrant crafts and art scene, some outstandingly colorful festivities, a uniquely tasty cuisine and diverse natural riches. At the center of the state in every way stands beautiful, colonial Oaxaca city, an elegant and fascinating cultural hub. Nearby, the forested Sierra Norte is home to successful community-tourism ventures enabling visitors to hike, bike and ride horses amid green mountainscapes. To the south, across rugged, remote ranges, is Oaxaca’s fabulous tropical coast, with its wide sandy beaches, pumping Pacific surf, seas full of dolphins and turtles, and a string of beach towns and villages. (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/oaxaca-state, leveled by EHubbell)

Open Ended

What are some the things that you can do in Oaxaca today?

Zapotec civilization

The people of the Oaxacan basin

The Zapotecs, known as the 'Cloud People', dwelt in the southern highlands of central Mesoamerica, specifically, in the Valley of Oaxaca, which they inhabited from the late Preclassic period to the end of the Classic period (500 BCE - 900 CE). Their capital was first at Monte Albán and then at Mitla, they dominated the southern highlands, spoke a variation of the Oto-Zapotecan language, and profited from trade and cultural links with the Olmec, Teotihuacan and Maya civilizations. (https://www.ancient.eu/Zapotec_Civilization/) 

The Zapotecs grew from the agricultural communities which grew up in the valleys in and around Oaxaca. In the Preclassic period they established fruitful trade links with the Olmec civilization on the Gulf Coast which allowed for the construction of an impressive capital site at Monte Albán and for the Zapotec to dominate the region during the Classic period. The city, strategically placed overlooking the three main valleys, evolved over centuries, beginning around 500 BCE and remaining the cultural centre until the demise of the civilization around 900 CE. (https://www.ancient.eu/Zapotec_Civilization/)

By the late Preclassic period Zapotec cities show a high level of sophistication in architecture, the arts, writing and engineering projects such as irrigation systems. For example, at Hierve el Agua there are artificially terraced hillsides irrigated by extensive canals fed by natural springs. Evidence of contact with other Mesoamerican cultures can be seen. (https://www.ancient.eu/Zapotec_Civilization/)

The site of Dainzu, which has a large stone-faced platform with reliefs showing players of the familiar Mesoamerican ball game wearing protective headgear. We also know of very close relations between the Zapotec and the peoples based at Teotihuacan in the Basin of Mexico. Indeed, at Teotihuacan there was even a quarter of the city specifically reserved for the Zapotec community. (https://www.ancient.eu/Zapotec_Civilization/)

Multiple Choice

Your turn:

Zapotec culture was not well known to other cultures of the region.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The Zapotec are skilled workers who had impressive architecture and cities.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The Zapotec people are skilled artists who carved out of stone and the copal wood.

• True

• False