Atzompa: casting a watchful eye over the Zapotec heartland
The strongholds of the classical Zapotec in the mountains of what today is the periphery of Oaxaca de Juárez are among the most impressive in Mesoamerica.
The largest and most well-known of these is, of course, Monte Albán. Despite the grandeur of this capital, it by no means existed in isolation, depending on vassals across the region’s vast mountain chains.
While these communities varied in size and strength, they are generally understood to have been part of the extended city-state of Monte Albán, contributing to its growth through tribute of foods, luxury goods, and labor.
But the greatest advantage that these allied cities offered Montel Albán was security from their enemies from practically every direction.
One of the largest and most important of these satellite states of Monte Albán was Atzompa, which was plenty grand and powerful in its own right.
The name Atzompa derives from the Nahua language, not Zapotec, and roughly translates as “the city above the water.”
The remains of Atzompa visitable today date to the late classical period, or sometime between the 5th and 7th centuries CE, though evidence of occupation at the same site dates at least several centuries before that.
In a straight line, the distance between Atzompa and Monte Albán is only five miles, but the narrow mountain passes and rugged terrain makes it feel a world away, even today.
Even from the parking lot adjacent to the site, visitors must do quite a bit of climbing to get to the site along a fairly steep path.
Entering the site, visitors encounter several large unrestored mounds and the remains of an elite residential complex known as La Casa de Oriente, or East House. Within the residence, archaeologists discovered a sizable interior patio containing a temazcal or Prehispanic sauna.
At the end of another steep path is a large ceremonial ballcourt, much influenced by the great cities of the valley of Mexico.
Past the ballcourt, the area opens into a large esplanade containing several chambers and funerary complexes within which the remains of Atzompa’s elites have been found, along with a good deal of ceramics, jewelry, and other precious goods from across Mesoamerica.
Further up still is Atzompa’s main acropolis, which features its largest pyramid flanked on all sides by large artificial platforms.
Atzompa’s largest pyramid (Structure 5) has been pillaged extensively, leaving it bare of stucco everywhere except its base but is still quite a sight.
Behind Structure 5, it is possible to observe a large residential complex, complete with one of the best-preserved kitchens in Mesoamerica.
If you go
Getting to Atzompa from Oaxca de Juaéz (Oaxaca’s capital) is easy via taxi or ride-sharing services. But because the site is seldom visited by tourists getting back to town may not be as easy. A good way to solve this problem is to hire a driver for a few hours and have him/her wait for you while you are at the site. If you don’t want to go this route, you may have to wait for quite a while before another cab can arrive for the pickup.
Entrance to Atzompa is free, but the services offered by the INAH are limited to an eco-toilet, and there is often no running water in these bathrooms, so make sure to bring your own along with a little soap or sanitizing gel.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer, adventure leader, and PhD candidate. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
