book chapter

The Unification of the Valley of Oaxaca

Zapotec civilization : how urban society evolved in Mexico's Oaxaca Valley, Joyce Marcus, Kent V. Flannery • New York, N.Y. • Published In 1996 • Pages: 155-171, 248

By: Marcus, Joyce, Flannery, Kent V..

Abstract

Marcus and Flannery discuss the evolution of Monte Albán society from a chiefdom to a state. They use Hawaii from 1789 to 1810 as a model for state formation. In 1789 Hawaii consisted of several independent chiefdoms, by 1810 it was ruled by one ruler. The process may have been the same for Monte Albán, although is took several hundred years to achieve statehood. Marcus and Flannery 'believe that states arise [i]when one member of a group of chiefdoms begins to take over its neighbors[i/], eventually turing them into subject provinces of a much larger polity.' (page 157). They look for evidence that Monte Albán I society was a series of chiefdoms or a state by examining 'its demographic profile, its settlement hierarchy, its public buildings, its elite residences, [and] its distinctive syles of art and writing.' (page 155).

HRAF PubDate

2010

Region

Middle America and the Caribbean

Sub Region

General Middle America and the Caribbean

Document Type

book chapter

Evaluation

Creator Type

Archaeologist

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

Analyst

Sarah Berry; 2009

Field Date

no date

Coverage Date

2300-2100 BP (300-100 BC)

Coverage Place

Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico

Notes

Joyce Marcus, Kent V. Flannery

Includes bibliographical references (p. 248)

LCCN

95060561

LCSH

Zapotec Indians--Antiquities

Zapotec Indians--Politics and government

Land settlement--Mexico--Oaxaca Valley

Excavations (Archaeology)--Mexico--Oaxaca Valley

Oaxaca Valley (Mexico)--Antiquities