Mexico: Yagul
July 2016

Ancient pictographs near Yagul.

About 35 km east of Oaxaca, Yagul is an atmospheric hilltop site with some mysterious aspects to its ruins. The views are tremendous.

Yagul means "tree" or "old stick" in the Zapotec language.

The nine peaked mountain behind which the sun set on the shortest day. The Zapotec associated the number 9 with death.

Its peak period was 750 - 950 AD, roughly the same period as Atzompa, though, like Monte Alban, there is evidence of people living here since 3,000 BC. Prehistoric caves in the area have provided evidence of the evolution of man from a hunter-gatherer to a settled cultivator.¹

The site is known for its large number of patios, a huge ball court and a maze-like area of rooms. The entrance to some of these rooms had been closed off by new walls leaving rooms completely isolated with no entrance. The reason for this practice is unknown.

Plan of Yagul from the site information board. It was rather faded so I've added a translation of the key.

The higher part of the city functions as both an administrative and religious centre, as well as there being palaces and defensive areas, set out on a series of terraces.

Patio 4
Triple tomb beneath the raised platform in the centre with open tomb entrances either side.

Frog sculpture representing a rain or water cult. Patio 4.

Tomb entrance, Patio 4.

Another tomb entrance, Patio 4.

There are several tombs in the plazas, for what must have been important people to be buried in such a prestigious place. Ordinary people lived lower down the slopes where there were also agricultural terraces. Water was sourced from the Rio Seco which forms the limit of the site.

Patio 4 has a number of tombs, including a triple of three T-shaped tombs. All three had been looted in prehispanic times.

The I-shaped Ball Court.
Note the marker in the centre of the playing area.

Nopal or Prickly Pear Cactus.

Yagul has the largest ball court in the Oaxaca Valley.

Ball court looking north west.

Patio 1 with a building similar to the Council Chamber on the west side.

Entrance to the rectangular Council Chamber where the rulers of the city met to discuss city administration.

The internal walls of the Council Chamber once had three layers of stucco and, like the floor, were painted red.

Decorative stonework lines the street outside the Council Chamber.

Street outside the Council Chamber with decorative stonework above the kerb.

Patio in the Palace of the Six Patios, with tomb.

The Palace of the Six Patios is a real labyrinth, with blocked entrances, tombs and columned halls.

Tomb entrance in the Palace of the Six Patios - the protruding stones were used as steps.

A wall has been built to block an entrance.

We climbed the hill a little way to the north of the site from where the views over the site and beyond into the valley and across to the mountains are spectacular.

Remains of a building above the main excavations.

There are foundations and the remnants of a wall. Also curious indentations in the rock surface.

Circular indentations in the rocks.

The fortress on a height above the site.

Remnants of red among the orange.

Even higher to the east is the site of the fortress, which we didn't climb up to - far too hot!

On our way back down we had a better look at the columned rooms in the Palace of the Six Patios before leaving.

Two columned spaces in the Palace of the Six Patios.

Both have central grass squares and if these reflect the original layout, the columns may have supported the sloping roof of a portico around an open courtyard.

Yagul is a lovely site to explore, with plenty of interest without being overwhelming - and the views are amazing.

There are some great cacti here too - candelabra, prickly pear (nopal), agave.

References

1. UNESCO: Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the Central Valley of Oaxaca

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