Yagul: A labyrinthine Zapotec fortress
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- Yagul is a Zapotec city in the western Mitla sub-valley of Oaxaca valley. It is situated on a mesa-like plateau rising above the surrounding farmland. It was first inhabited around 500-100 BC. The oldest structures, including the plaza with the frog statue, date to 500-700 AD. Monte Alban had been the Zapotec capital for centuries, but after it fell around 700-800 AD, its residents moved to other cities in the surrounding area such as Yagul. It was during this post-classical period that most of Yagul was built, including the large palace which remains visible today. As the situation in the valley deteriorated, people moved from nearby settlements in the valley such as Yagüi to the relative safety of Yagul and its mountain fortress. Not especially popular among tourists, it is an interesting site with commanding views of the Mitla valley.
great mesoamerican scholarship you present your topics well thank you
Cannot believe the construction methods used by the ancients. Their skills amaze me. Your wealth of knowledge also amazes me. Thank you. 👍👍😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Amazingly beautiful site.
It really is! It's a protected natural area too just because of the mesas and all that. There was a sign that said you couldn't even photograph or make audio recordings of the birds without a permit.
@@pyramidreview8664 Really? That is interesting, never heard of that before. But good to know Mexico is really starting to be serious about protecting there natural resources. Great video though. Very few people who visit these sites put as much effort in recording the important points of the site as you do. Great job.
The Zapotecs were an autonomous region around Oaxaca including Chiapas during the Aztec Empire times. They were never defeated by them and had a truce with them. When Mexico became an Empire they were given the same status which still remains on the books. The Zapotec administrative center was moved down from the mountain and tha is all. They are still Zapotecs today.
Under Moctezuma the First, following wars between the Miztecs and the Zapotecs, an Aztec garrison was installed in Mitla in the mid fifteenth century. This territorial dominance by the Aztecs was increased in wars between 1497-1502 under the reign of the great military leader and Aztec ruler Ahuitzotl, who conquered his way down to the Pacific coast, at which point the Zapotecs (and Mixtecs and others) became a client of the Aztecs and would remain so until the arrival of the Spanish.
@@pyramidreview8664 Yes. That's how it went down! 👍
Brian - The Zapotecs were not wiped out by the Aztecs but they paid tribute to Tenochtitlan. Perhaps you mean the Purepecha in Michoacán? They had a truce with the Triple Alliance in Tenochtitlan as you described and the Spaniards awarded them some autonomy (at first).
@@RogueReplicant Are these the people that sing those beatiful songs?
@@dutchreagan3676 Interesting question. While I'm not sure of the ethnicity of the author, there definitely is good music from the region traditionally inhabited by the Cloud People (Zapotecs): "La Llorona" (best version by Mexican singer Angélica Aguilar) is a hauntingly beautiful lament about the melancholy of love, the transition from this realm to the beckoning Unknown; and the certainty that we are still there, under that "huipil" (the metaphorical "veil") as we come out of the temple.
I'm very interested in the topic of labyrinths in regards to spirituality eg Chartres cathedral, the myth of theseus etc. I couldn't really tell from the video but may i ask, was it a labyrinth in the sense that there is only one path leading tu the center (usually with seven turns) or was it more of a maze having different options of travel? It looked more like a labyrinth but i thought the might have been branching paths as it seemed some were closed. Also was the structure originally roofed or could you see over the walls in it's original format?
It was definitely a maze and not a Labyrinth according to the technical definitions. It was originally six courtyards, most with four buildings, and they would have been taller and had roofs too, and were originally houses. If you search for an image of "Yagul map" you can see the plan. They connected these courtyards with passages in a strange way, and there are few entrances from the outside of the structure, and it is confusing and unpredictable inside it. This sit was built for defense, so this confusing plan was most probably intentional, to confuse any potential attackers.
The Maya also have mazes, which have multiple stories and served as symbolic and ritual spaces, I will have an upcoming episode about one in a place called Oxkintok.
@@pyramidreview8664I'm almost surprised that there weren't any esoteric/spiritual indicators but of course it was as you said defensive in nature.. I almost expect there to be sometime. I know there was an underground zapotec site in Oaxaca that was described as being an underground "labyrinth" of tunnels but not sure if it's technically one or not as this is where My interest lied so i look forward to the Mayan video you mentioned. Thanks
@@4everseekingwisdom690 You mean Mitla! I have a video about that one too in my Oaxaca Playlist. Take a look, it's a very interesting and beautiful place. It has similar square courtyard architecture. Yagul was not only defensive, but it was a ritual site too, there is a pyramid at the beginning. But I think this maze was mostly a palace of the nobility there.
But the Maya Mazes might be more interesting to you. Some were three levels, representing the underworld, earth, and heavens, and it is thought that they were used for early rituals when a king would take the throne, he would have to complete some sort of ritual in these mazes.
I haven't been there YET, but it's very high on my list to visit: Chavin de Huanta in Peru, which is a maze that was a very important religious site in the ancient Andes. Check it out:
czcams.com/video/TCfQjn0lG74/video.htmlsi=jwZUu_NYX13L0pbU
Shout out to @AncientAmericas
@@pyramidreview8664 I'll definitely check that video out as I was referring to milta. Multiple levels immediately makes me think of Herodotus and his description of the great labyrinth of Egypt which purportedly had multiple levels along with 12 courtyards and also culminating with a pyramid.. He said it was a greater wonder than the pyramids.. labyrinths have a very particular effect on people which I'm sure the ancients knew of and took advantage of..