The Zapotec economy Was developed between the Preclassic and Classic periods (500 - 900 D.C.), when this culture, also known as"the people of the clouds", inhabited the upper zone of Central Mesoamerica. That region is today known as Oaxaca, in Mexico. Its capital was the city of Monte Albán and later Mitla [1] .
The Zapotec culture originated from agricultural communities that settled around the Oaxaca Valley. They established commercial ties with the Olmec civilization, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, which allowed them to build their impressive capital city as well as become a dominant culture in the region they inhabited [2] .
Map of the location of Zapotec culture, which developed in the pre-Columbian era of Mesoamerica.
During the late preclassic period, the Zapotec cities showed a high level of sophistication in their architecture, art, writing and engineering. An example of this was their complex irrigation systems.
It is believed that the name of this civilization comes from the fruit" sapodilla "Which was common in the region where the culture was developed. The Zapotec population grew at the same rate as civilization expanded and conquered new territories.
Population growth, religion and social classes
Population growth was accompanied by the sophistication of social classes, the centralization of political power, and ceremonial and religious activity. The Zapotecs developed a calendar and a syllabic logo writing system that used an independent glyph to represent the different syllables of their language. This system is considered the precursor of the later developed by the Mayas, Mixtecs and Aztecs [3] .
Archaeologist Alfonso Caso, one of the first to carry out excavation work in the region of Monte Albán, considered that a building found in the main square of the city is clear evidence of the significant expansion of the Zapotec empire.
Inscriptions found on the walls of the building illustrate the rulers of the different provinces that were conquered by the Zapotecs. Those stones that show a head upside down would represent the governors whose provinces were taken by force. Those who are upside down, would be those who did not oppose colonization.
Like most Mesoamerican cultures, Zapotec was a polytheistic religion. His main deities were Cocijo, the god of rain and Coquihani, the god of light. The Zapotecs are thought to have used human sacrifices in some of their ritual practices.
Economy: agriculture and trade
In terms of their economy, most of the regions developed by the Zapotecs were farmers and farmers, who practiced a combination of subsistence agriculture (own consumption) and commercial agriculture (barter and trade) [4] .
The most important crops were maize, beans and squash. Some other types of products were planted and harvested in different regions, depending on the climate, soil conditions and irrigation systems available in each.
Although production was household-based, each of which was an independent production entity, trade was organized in an elaborate trading system, operating a market that operated efficiently over several centuries. In the valley region, a small proportion of farmers harvested chickpeas and wheat.
Maize worked as a kind of exchange currency, as did the maguey, a type of agave plant from which liqueurs such as mezcal were obtained. In the high regions, this role of harvest-money was represented by coffee. In the isthmic region, the banana, mango and coconut.
Despite having complicated irrigation systems, some regions were totally dependent on rainwater. Ox plough was commonly used in most Zapotec regions.
Communities and areas of expertise
Many of the Zapotec communities were divided by areas of specialization, according to the trades or industries in which they performed. In the valley region, for example, pottery and weaving were practiced. Zarapes, metates, belts, baskets and other types of goods were woven with different types of natural fibers, vegetables and animals.
In the northern sierra, handicrafts were less common, although work was done on leather and cotton cloth. The clothing was different in different Zapotec regions and it was possible to distinguish the place of origin of the inhabitants, particularly women, by the type of dress they wore.
The Zapotec commercial system was sophisticated. This civilization was known for its commercial activities. From the pre-Hispanic era, they maintained commercial routes throughout the present region of Oaxaca. They used the mecapal to carry products, a device that consists of a rope that passes through the forehead and that balances the weight loaded on the back.
The productive activities were divided into those carried out by men and women. The men were in charge of agriculture and the farm, while the women were engaged in food preparation, domestic work and certain commercial activities.
Before reforms to the Mexican constitution in 1992, land ownership consisted of a mixture of private use, communal land, and ejidos. Private land consisted regularly of separate plots, separated from each other and not as a single surface.
Local authorities authorize community members to engage in farming or livestock farming activities on communal lands, which generally have poor soil and vegetation quality.
Ejidos do not exist in all regions, they were established as part of land tenure reforms after the Mexican Revolution and are fragments of communities (sometimes entire communities) that have land under a special authority structure. The large haciendas, common in other parts of Mexico, did not predominate in the Zapotec region.
References
[1] Zapotec. Taken from encyclopedia.com.
[2] Zapotec Economy. Taken from everyculture.com.
[3] Zapotec People. Taken from britannica.com.
[4] Zapotec Civilization. Taken from en.wikipedia.org.