Dainzú
Dainzú is a pre-Columbian city and cult plant (now archaeological site ) in the valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, 19 km östsüdöstlich the eponymous state capital. First traces of settlement can be found as early as the 3rd millennium BC. The city is situated on the slope of a steep mountain and existed from the 7th century BC until around 500 AD,
- 3.1 Yellow Temple
History of Research
The name Dainzú is modern, it was formed by the first archaeologists from the Zapotec and means mountain of the organ cactus, according to the dominant vegetation there. After initial explorations to beginning of the 20th century followed from 1965 extensive excavations by the Mexican archaeologist Ignacio Bernal. The earliest documented evidence of settlements date back to the Middle Präklassik.
Conjunto A
This complex consists of three different levels, the foot of the mountain vorgeschuhte terraces. The earliest and at the same time lowest is in contrast to the other covered with large irregular blocks of stone are digging into the approximately thirty bas-reliefs. The two upper terrace are built of small stones. To overcome the higher terrace, in the oldest constructions in the building sunk stairs were used later, the stairs were provided with stringers and jumped in front of the building.
Due to the structural engineering of the oldest terrace the excavators have concluded that there is simultaneity with the building J of Monte Alban, which is assigned to the Monte Alban II phase. The later buildings of the phase Monte Albán would thus correspond III.
Stone reliefs
The subject of these representations is unique in Mesoamerica: next to pictures of religious leaders may impress the numerous reliefs of ball players who hold a small ball in hand. The ball players are provided with masks and padded pelvic elbow and knee protection. You will be shown how they have thrown to the ground to grab the ball. This ball game has little in common with the Mesoamerican ballgame. , The ball is small and fits in the hand of a player who holds the ball on a regular basis with hand Further details of the game are not known, nor whether it was played in one of the typical ball courts. The display of skulls can be interpreted as an indication associated with the game symbolism.
Conjunto B
This terrace is the west upstream just described and located much lower on the foothills. It is a time it was built according to the phase Monte Albán I accepted, but there were later taken place between tags, which are summarized in at least six stages of construction. In the beginning, it was at this complex are two separate terraces, which were connected by the Yellow Temple. There are underground channels for drainage of rainwater in several places. These are either built of rectangular cross -section, or they consist of nested relatively large volume clay pipes.
Inside the four terraces grave chambers and several simpler tombs have been found. The most important grave ( grave 7), which was completely stripped, was originally accessible by a staircase. There is a monolithic door beams, showing the face of a jaguar in bas-relief over the entrance. Inside, a stone wall on a representation in the style of the reliefs of the Conjunto A.
Yellow Temple
The so-called because remnants of his murals temple (also: Templo Amarillo ) is a small, einräumiges building. The entrance is by two standing near the side walls monolithic columns framed ( in the style of Monte Albán ).
Conjunto C
This design follows on the south by Conjunto B and is at the same level. It really is a small terrace, which established the connection to still further south and not excavated Conjunto D.
Playground for ball games
The ball court, which was excavated only to a half and restored, is clearly not the place of the ball game, which was depicted in the stone relief, because he was probably built until about 900 AD on the ruins of an older structure. The inward sloping wall reflection has been unfortunately reconstructed only with the sub-construction, which served as a base for smooth stucco coating.