LISS.398A TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT and HUMAN ADAPTATION:
PART II PRE-EUROPEAN
MESOAMERICA
VALLEY OF OAXACA: MONTE ALBAN II; SOCIAL COMPLEXITY
VERTICAL COMPLEXITY
During Monte Albán II, the four level settlement hierarchy developed during
Monte Albán I
remains in place but there appear to be some rearranging of activities among the levels. While
Monte Albán,
remains the regional capital
and apparently possibly expands its activity in managing external relations its
activities within the Valley itself appear to have been decentralized to several
town-level settlements including
Suchilquitongo,
San José Mogote
and
Daínzú.
HORIZONTAL COMPLEXITY
Elaboration of different styles in architecture and ceramics in different parts of the Valley might be viewed
as evidence for increasing horizontal complexity. But, there does not appear to be evidence for more
horizontal differentiation at levels such as construction and manufacturing technology that underlie
stylistic differences.
Colorado School of Mines
Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies
Dr. Joseph D. Sneed
jsneed@mines.edu
