Dainzú
Dainzú is a pre-Columbian urban and cult complex (today archaeological excavation site) in the Valles Centrales region of Oaxaca , Mexico , 19 km east-southeast of the state capital of the same name . The first traces of settlement can already be found around the 3rd millennium BC. Chr. The city is located on the slope of a steep hill and existed from the 7th century BC. Until around 500 AD,
Research history
The name Dainzú is modern, it was formed by the first archaeologists from Zapotec and means mountain of organ cacti, after the vegetation that dominates there. After the first explorations at the beginning of the 20th century, extensive excavations followed in 1965 by the Mexican archaeologist Ignacio Bernal . The earliest proven traces of settlement go back to the Middle Preclassic .
Conjunto A
This complex consists of three terraces of different heights, in front of the mountain foot. The earliest and at the same time the lowest, unlike the others, is clad with large, irregular stone blocks in which around thirty bas-reliefs are carved. The two upper terraces are bricked with small stones. In order to overcome the height of a terrace, stairs sunk into the building were used in the oldest constructions; later the stairs were provided with stringers and protruded from the building.
Due to the construction technology of the oldest terrace, the excavators concluded that it was at the same time as the building J of Monte Albán , which was assigned to the phase Monte Albán II. The later buildings would therefore correspond to the Monte Albán III phase.
Stone reliefs
The theme of these depictions is unique in Mesoamerica : in addition to depictions of possibly religious dignitaries, the numerous reliefs of ball players holding a small ball are impressive. The ball players are provided with masks and padded pelvic, elbow and knee protection. They are shown throwing themselves to the ground to grab the ball. This ball game has little in common with the Mesoamerican ball game : the ball is small and fits in the hand of a player who regularly grips the ball in his hand. Further details of the game are just as little known as whether it was played in one of the typical ball courts. The representation of skulls can be understood as an indication of the symbolism associated with the game.
Conjunto B
This terrace is located in front of the one just described to the west and located significantly lower at the foot of the mountain. A construction period corresponding to the Monte Albán I phase is assumed, but later conversions have repeatedly taken place, which are summarized in at least six construction phases. In the beginning, this complex consisted of two separate terraces, which were connected by the Yellow Temple . There are underground channels in several places for draining rainwater. These are either bricked with a rectangular cross-section or they consist of relatively large-volume clay tubes inserted into one another.
Four burial chambers and several simpler graves have been found inside the terraces. The most significant grave (grave 7), which was completely robbed, was originally accessible by stairs. There is a monolithic door beam above the entrance, which shows the face of a jaguar in bas-relief. Inside, a wall stone shows a representation in the style of the reliefs of Conjunto A.
Yellow temple
The so-called temple (also: Templo Amarillo) because of the remains of its wall painting is a small, one-room building. The entrance is framed by two monolithic columns (in the style of Monte Albán) standing near the side walls.
Conjunto C
This construction connects to Conjunto B in the south and is on the same level. It is actually a small terrace that made the connection to the still further south and not excavated Conjunto D.
Ball court
The ball playground, only half of which has been excavated and restored, is clearly not the location of the ball game depicted in the stone reliefs, as it was probably only built around 900 AD on the remains of a somewhat older structure. The inward sloping reflective wall has unfortunately only been reconstructed with the substructure that served as a base for the smooth stucco cover.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ignacio Bernal: Los jugadores de pelota de Dainzú , In: Journal de la Société des Américanistes de Paris 60 (1971) p. 301
literature
- Erneste González Licón: Dainzu, Oaxaca . Mexico, INAH 1990
- Ignacio Bernal, Andy Seuffert: Ballplayers of Dainzu . Graz, Academic Printing and Publishing Company, 1979
See also
Web links
Coordinates: 17 ° 0 ′ 12.8 ″ N , 96 ° 33 ′ 24.7 ″ W.