Mexican Architecture Through the Ages -- Part 1

The next six or more posts will take a look at architecture and archeology through the ages, not in chronological/historical order but in the order we experienced them, which turned out (coincidentally) to be roughly from smallest to largest. These pictures are from Mitla and Yagul, two archeological sites in the valleys east of Oaxaca.

After the Zapotec empire of Monte Alban collapsed in around 750 A.D., the region divided into smaller city-states, and remained that way until the arrival of the Spanish (the Aztecs were never able to firmly conquer this far south). Mitla, one of the main local powers during this period, is notable for the fine stonework and painted-stucco decoration on its buildings:




Nearby Yagul is most famous for its ball court, one of the largest ever found:


While the stonework of Mitla is unique, many of the other features we saw that day will recur in subsequent posts, including the Spanish church built over the ruins, using many of their stones: