Zapotecs

Zapotecs are an indigenous people of the Oaxaca region in southern Mexico with a long pre-Columbian history. They founded complex urban centers in the Valley of Oaxaca, most notably Monte Albán, which flourished from about 500 BCE to the early second millennium CE and served as a political and ceremonial capital for centuries. The Zapotec developed distinctive art, architecture, and early forms of writing that influenced later Mesoamerican cultures.

Zapotec languages form a diverse group within the Oto-Manguean language family. There are many varieties spoken by communities across Oaxaca and parts of neighboring states, some not mutually intelligible. Today most speakers are bilingual in Spanish. Historically, Zapotec society centered on large urban centers governed by lineages and priestly elites, with Monte Albán and other sites showing organized administration and extensive trade networks.

Archaeological remains include monumental masonry, stairways, ballcourts, tombs, and richly decorated ceramics at Monte Albán, Mitla, and San José Mogote. The Zapotec participated in long-distance trade of obsidian, jade, ceramics, and agricultural products. They also produced a writing system and calendar-related inscriptions that are among the earliest in the region and illustrate a complex political and ceremonial life.

After the Spanish conquest, Zapotec communities persisted and adapted under colonial and Mexican governance. In modern times, Zapotec people continue many cultural traditions, languages, and forms of community governance in numerous villages, while facing challenges such as language endangerment, economic change, and social integration. The term Zapotec refers to a broad set of groups rather than a single homogeneous culture.