Symbology

This unique and representative piece of the Zapoteca culture is painted with motifs that describe in detail the pre-hispanic culture of Oaxaca´s state.

Each one of these patterns contain an inscribed meaning that symbolizes the archaeological zones of Mitla, Monte Albán and Yagul.

Monte Albán, former city of the dominant power in the region, converges in this piece by means of drawings that reproduce jewels and bracelets found in the tombs 7 and 8 of this important archaeological zone.

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Yagul, a Zapotec settlement located in the Tlacolula Valley (about 1 hour from Oaxaca City, is depicted with motifs that describe the labyrinths of the Palace "Six Patios", which is considered to be the largest palace in the archaeological zones of the Oaxaca Valley.

Other patterns describe iconic elements in the Zapotec culture, such as the rattlesnake, which represents the snake, a venerated animal considered as the greatest power. The cross of the winds that symbolizes the four cardinal points, the pattern of "the people" that represent the Zapotec people and the pectorals shaped in legs that represent the clothes of the gods.