Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 1.djvu/401

 EXPLORATION OF ZAPOTECAN TOMBS IN SOUTHERN MEXICO'

By MARSHALL H. SAVILLE

During the winter of i897-'o,8 the American Museum of Natural History carried on explorations in southern Mexico under the terms of a concession granted by the Mexican govern- ment. Having been entrusted with the direction of the work by the President of the Museum, I proceeded to Mexico in October, 1897, and spent several months in Chiapas, in the field of ancient Maya culture, chiefly at the ruins of Palenque. Circumstances compelled me to leave the state of Chiapas, and it was decided advisable to investigate some of the remains of the little-known Zapotecan culture, not far distant from Oaxaca, the capital of the state of the same name.

The city of Oaxaca is situated at the junction of three val- leys: to the northwest lies the valley of Etla; to the south the valley of Zachila; while to the east is the valley of Tlacolula, at the extreme eastern limits of which, at a distance of about ten leagues, are located the famous ruins of Mitla. Southwest from the city and not more than a league distant is the range of hills upon which are the remains of the great fortified city known as Monte Alban, which was probably the ancient Zachila, the capi- tal of the old Zapotecan empire.

Tombs at Xoxo — Directly south from Oaxaca, two leagues away, is the little village of Xoxocotlan, in the broad and fertile valley of Zachila. It is occupied by pure-blood Indians speaking the Mixtecan dialect, who cultivate the land surrounding the town, and even the steep eastern slopes and level summit of

1 This abstract, taken from field notes, is published by permission of the trustees of the American Museum of Natural History, New York.

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