Remote sensing technology has uncovered a 15th-century Zapotec city named Guiengola in Oaxaca, Mexico. The city, once thought to be a fortress, features a network of roads, temples, and ballcourts, revealing a sophisticated urban layout and communal society.
Learn about the abandoned Zapotec city of Guiengola in Oaxaca, Mexico , featuring a society based on communal work that would flourish until the 16th century Spanish conquest. Guiengola 's North Plaza, the only area not covered by tree canopy, as pictured from above. In southern Mexico , remote sensing technology has recently provided a snapshot of a 15th century archaeological site in its heyday, revealing a bustling city built by the pre-Columbian Zapotec culture.
“Although you could reach the site using a footpath, it was covered by a canopy of trees. Until very recently, there would have been no way for anyone to discover the full extent of the site without spending years on the ground walking and searching.
Ramón Celis believes the analysis of Guiengola could be a stepping stone to better understand the Zapotecs’ social and political organization, as well as how they interacted with Spanish forces. Evidence from the study indicated that the city was likely abandoned right before the Spanish arrived at the Oaxaca Valley in 1521 . The people of Guiengola subsequently moved to Tehuantepec, a small city just 20 kilometers away that’s still inhabited to this day.
Zapotec Guiengola Mexico Archaeology Remote Sensing Lidar
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