zapotec

The Zapotec are an indigenous people of the Oaxaca region in southern Mexico, comprising a number of communities who historically formed city-states and speak varieties of the Zapotec languages, a branch of the Oto-Manguean language family. The term also denotes the linguistic family as a whole, rather than a single homogeneous group.

Today Zapotec-speaking communities are concentrated in the central valleys and highlands of Oaxaca, with smaller populations in adjoining areas. The Zapotec languages are diverse, with many distinct varieties that range in mutual intelligibility. Some varieties remain robust, while others are endangered as Spanish becomes more dominant in education and public life. Writing systems were developed within Zapotec culture, including early inscriptions from Monte Albán; while these scripts are among the earliest in Mesoamerica, their decipherment is still partial. In modern contexts, literacy is often in Spanish, with bilingual programs in some communities.

Historically, Monte Albán near present-day Oaxaca City was a major Zapotec urban center from around 500 BCE into the Classic period. The site exhibits monumental architecture, tombs, and Danzante carvings, reflecting a rich ceremonial and political life. The Zapotec engaged in long-distance trade and interacted with neighboring cultures such as Teotihuacan and, later, the Mixtec. The Classic-era prominence waned in the postclassic period, and colonial contact in the 16th century brought profound changes to Zapotec society.

Culturally, Zapotec communities are known for crafts such as pottery and weaving, and for ritual and agricultural practices that persist alongside Catholic influences. Today, groups maintain distinctive identities and governance structures, and language-preservation efforts are ongoing through education and community programs, alongside broader Indigenous rights within Mexico.