Early Civilizations in the Americas Almanac | Zapotecs and Monte Albán

• Dates of predominance
• Name variations and pronunciation
• Location
• History
• Government and economy
• Religion
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• Decline
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The Zapotecs have lived in the Oaxaca (pronounced wah-HAH-kah) Valley of Mexico since at least 500 B.C.E. and are still there today. Most ancient Zapotec history revolves around the capital city, Monte Albán, which many experts consider the first Mesoamerican city. The Zapotecs, like the Olmecs (pronounced OLE-mecks), are regarded by some current scholars as the possible originators of several key features of the great...