In autumn of 2001, I
traveled with Crow Canyon Archaeological Center to see the Day of the Dead
ceremonies in Oaxaca, Mexico, and visit some archaeological sites and artisan
workshops.
I am re-creating this
trip 24 years later (it's June 2025 as I write this) , so some of the photos may be misplaced, and I am using
most of the trip outfitter's notes (their commentary is put in quotes) because I
can’t find my own notes…. But this blog
will give you a look at the scenery and sites as they were in 2001. I think you will find it interesting…. I
did so enjoy reliving it!
A key attraction for
me was to be in Oaxaca for the national celebration of Dia de los Muertos
(Day of the Dead) when the souls of the dead are believed to return to
earth. Families begin days earlier to
build altars in their homes and to visit graveyards to commune with their dead. The gravestones are decorated with garlands,
and gifts of favorite goods are left for the deceased. Lighted candles, colorful flowers, and
lively music give the cemeteries a festive air.
The trip was led by Dr. Jeff Blomster, and it began and ended in Oaxaca City, Mexico.
BACKGROUND
“Oaxaca is a vibrant
and dazzling blend of old and new; of mountainous highlands and lush valleys;
and of massive, austere ruins and brilliantly painted folk art. This state in the center of Mexico was home
to two of the earliest civilizations in the western hemisphere – the Zapotec
and Mixtec cultures. By the
1520’s, when the Spanish arrived in the New World, the Zapotec and Mixtec lived
within a complex system of competing cacicazgos – native kingdoms or
chiefdoms that expanded through alliances, marriage, and warfare. Living in the arid Valley of Oaxaca, the
Zapotecs invented the earliest writing in the western hemisphere and developed
the first state, building the enormous capital of Monte Alban. Occupying the mountainous region to the
northwest, the Mixtecs followed a similar yet distinctive trajectory,
constructing large cities contemporaneous with Monte Alban. The 16th-century Mixtec codices
(indigenous painted picture books) document the triumphs and defeats of
important Mixtec leaders, such as Eight Deer and his family, with an emphasis
on genealogy and legitimacy.
“Today Oaxaca is
recognized for the richness of its arts and crafts. Distinctive black pottery, colorful woven
blankets and rugs, decorative clothing, and stamped tin items fill the market
stall and artisan shops. For centuries
Oaxacans have been carving toys for their children, and this tradition has
produced the brightly painted, copal-wood animal carvings that have become
highly prized pieces of folk art.
“The Zapotec and Mixtec still flourish in the modern
state of Oaxaca, and both refer to themselves in their native language as “the
Cloud People.” By examining the ruins
of ancient cities, the impact of Spanish colonialism, and the current arts and
traditions of the Zapotec and Mixtec people, this trip traced the paths of each
culture.
Day one:
Most of this day’s activity was a walking tour around the
central part of the city of Oaxaca de Juarez (the official name of the city).
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, is
the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca. Its
construction began circa 1535 and it was consecrated on 12 July 1733. It is
dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. Outside this church, sidewalk
sculptures in sand and plaster had their final touches put on as preparation
for the Day of the Dead.
We saw many other churches in our walk around the city.
Even the interiors of some of them were filled with colorful tributes to the
Day of the Dead.
This is another beautiful church, but I cannot identify
it now (25 years after seeing it in 2001 and NOT making good notes to match the
photos – get this, taken on film!). If
you help with that identification of this church, great. Note the quadrilateral opening the houses a
flowered window, the sculpture above the double doors that has only ONE person
in it, and the empty niches at the side of the door. (Even AI came up empty handed!)
We visited the regional museum, which houses an
impressive collection of gold ornaments, alabaster bows, and carved jaguar
bones. (Next trip, I’ll take some
photos!). Here is what AI has to say
about this museum:
The Regional Museum of Oaxaca, located in the Santo Domingo Cultural Center,
houses a rich collection of artifacts from Monte Alban, a significant
pre-Hispanic archaeological site. These holdings include treasures from
the 14th-century Mixtec Tomb 7, discovered in 1932,
showcasing gold, silver, turquoise, coral, jade, amber, pearls, and carved
bone. The museum also chronicles the broader history and cultures of
Oaxaca, spanning pre-Hispanic societies like the Zapotec and Mixtec, through
the colonial period and up to the present day.”
 |
| Image courtesy of TripAdvisor |
 |
| Image courtesy TripAdvisor |
 |
| image courtesy of ladyabroad.com |
(See the terrific blog at https://ladyabroad.com/5-museums-to-visit-in-oaxaca-city/ )
We had lunch at a second floor restaurant that looked
down on the Zocalo, the main square.
Lots of festive balloons for sale to excited children!
In the evening, nightlife on the zocalo
features local bands.
Then, a walk through the main city market, the Benito
Juarez market. Chiles, mole’s and all
kinds of foods and spices for sale, and one teenage vendor selling comic
figures of skeletons on the toilet, etc.
All part of the Day of the Dead fun!
Other traditional arts and crafts are also sold in the market, and
silver jewelry is a feature of many shops in town.
Walking around town is just plain fun! And at this time of year (Day of the Dead), a
lot of residents get in the mood and put La Catrina figurines in their windows.
(Here is what AI says about La Catrina…. “La Catrina, a skeletal figure dressed in
elegant attire, is a prominent symbol of Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico
and beyond. She is not a figure of mourning, but rather a celebration of
life and a reminder of the cyclical nature of life and death. Her image,
popularized by artist Jose Guadalupe Posada and later by Diego Rivera, is
a common sight during Day of the Dead festivities, adorning altars, being
depicted in costumes, and gracing painted faces.”)
Day two:
A journey to the Etla and Tlacolula valleys, two of the
three subvalleys that make up the larger Valley of Oaxaca.
 |
| Photo Credit: Sharpshooter |
San Jose Mogote is
an extremely important site where archaeologists discovered what may be the
first example of writing in Mesoamerica.
According to Wikipedia, San José Mogote is considered to be
the oldest permanent agricultural village in the Oaxaca Valley and probably the
first settlement in the area to use pottery.
“As far as Zapotec ruins go, Mogote is the oldest of the old. The ruins
are more overgrown and less excavated than others in the area. The major
surviving structure is a sizable pyramid mound behind the primary school in the
village center, with a narrow ball court at its foot.” says Lonely Planet.
At the ancient site of Dainzu, there are elaborate
“ballplayer” sculptures and a partly excavated ball court.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Rudolph Eckhardt: “depicting ballplayers in dynamic posture. They are wearing elaborate protective gear with helmet and are holding a small ball in one hand.” |
At Teotitlan del Valle, we have lunch at a Zapotec restaurant listed by the New York Times as one of the 10 best places to eat on the planet. The restaurant was reviewed by Molly O’Neill in 1997 thus: “Tlamanalli shares an airy courtyard with a weaving studio. Tables are gathered under the arcade on one side, cool and inviting, looking out at the garden in the center. Tlamanalli is reigned over by a scion of one of the great Zapotecan weaving families, Abigail Mendoza Ruiz, who melds her family's Indian heritage of cooking and craftsmanship into artful, Zapotecan fare.” It is located in a beautiful Colonial building…
We made a visit to weavers whose colorful tapestries and
rugs are inspired by ancient motifs as well as by modern Navajo designs and the
art of M.C. Escher and Pablo Picasso.
 |
| Image courtesy of Jacob Dean at https://oaxaca.substack.com/p/the-skilled-weavers-of-teotitlan |
Our next stop was the village of Tlacocahuaya to
see its charming church. The inside is
very unusual. It is covered in frescos of local flowers, all beautifully
preserved.
 |
| photo courtesy TripAdvisor |
 |
| photo courtesy TripAdvisor |
Day three
A drive that takes us 2,000 feet in elevation – into
Mixteca Alta, an area of high mountains and narrow valleys.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Global Geoparks Network |
There we explore the ruins of the ancient public center
of Yucuita. The name means “Hill
of Flowers.” According to Wikipedia, “Because
of its antiquity and its long-term continuous occupation (from the fourteenth
century BCE to the ninth century CE), Yucuita is one of the most studied
Mixtec archaeological sites. There are
two architectonic complexes that have been the object of numerous
investigations since the 1930s. One of
these complexes was dedicated to the living quarters of the governing elite
 |
| Photo courtesy of Diana Sanchez/Flickr |
Next, to the town of Coixtlahuaca to visit one of
the area’s three large cathedrals. San
Juan Bautista de Coixtlahuaca Convent was built by the Dominicans between 1545
and 1596 in the highly-ornate Plateresque style, whose name derives from the
Spanish word for silver (plata).
 |
| Photo courtesy of Miguel Angel Aviles |
 |
| Closeup photo courtesy of World Monuments Fund |
Then we travel to the town of Huajuapan de Leon. (Read more about it by clicking here
The hill now known as the Cerro de las Minas,
which dominates the valley of Huajuapan, was the site of an ancient Mixtec
community. It is a massive Classic
Period site. This large hilltop site, occupied from 500 B,C, to 750 A.D., was
contemporaneous with Monte Alban in the Valley of Oaxaca, but it features very
different approaches to architecture and public space. A system of writing, closely related to that
used in the Mixteca Alta, developed here.
 |
| Photo Courtesy of Super Gato |
 |
| Photo countesy of Corporativonavarro.com |
We descend in elevation into the Mixteca Baja, and we notice significant changes in the environment between the Mixteca Alta and the Mixteca Baja – the Baja has a warmer climate, different crops and different crafts.
(We stayed overnight at the Hotel Garcia Peral in
Huajuapan)
Day four:
 |
| Photo courtesy TripAdvisor |
Then to the site of Huamelulpan, which features a
large panel of elaborate hieroglyphs, unique funerary urns, and a spectacular
view of the Huamelulpan Valley.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Wikipedia |
Afternoon finds us at Yanhuitlan, a Post-Classic
center occupied immediately prior to the arrival of the Spanish. Yanhuitlan’s importance to local politics led
the Spanish to choose it as the location of the largest structure they built in
this part of Oaxaca – the Yanhuitlan Cathedral and convent. For more images, see the excellent blog
at https://colonialmexico.blogspot.com/2013/05/yanhuitlan-church.html
 |
| Photo courtesy of Dreamstime |
Day five
“Complex political philosophies and strategies were
developed by the leaders of Monte Alban, culminating the formation of one of
the earlies states in the western hemisphere.
For most of its existence, Monte Alban was by far the largest city in
the region, dwarfing other towns and exerting considerable political control
throughout the region. In the earliest
buildings, you can see carved hieroglyphics and the famous Danzantes sculptures
(I am standing next to some of the sculptures)
“Spectacular tombs, many of which are believed to be
later Mixtec intrusions, leave scholars wondering about the complicated reasons
for the demise of Monte Alban and the eventual transformation of Zapotec
civilization.”
We visit the village of Coyotepec, where the
famous black pottery of Oaxaca is made.
Photo courtesy of blogger Eric Mindling, who notes “The
traditional pottery of San Bartolo Coyotepec, shown here, was more silver than
black. It was made for carrying water, decanting mezcal, washing corn and other
household needs.” More at https://www.ericmindling.com/blog/the-elegant-crooked-line-part-7-the-third-village
We stop at a farm where the red-dye-producing
insect, the cochineal, is raised. From
AI: “A cochineal farm, known as Rancho La Nopalera, is located in San
Bartolo Coyotepec, Oaxaca, Mexico, near Coyotepec. This farm specializes
in raising cochineal insects on Opuntia cacti, specifically for producing
the natural red dye, carmine. The
farm is highlighted on Tripadvisor as a place where visitors can learn
about the cochineal life cycle and dye production.
 |
| Photos courtesy of TripAdvisor |
This evening, October 31,
we visited Xoxocotlan Cemetery to observe the Day of the Dead
ceremonies.
Day six
We visit sites in the Tlacolula Valley that thrived as
Monte Alban’s power and control began to wane.
The site of Lambityeco features stucco portraits
of male and female leaders and masks of Cocijo, the rain god.
 |
| Photo of the mask of the rain god, courtesy of Uwe Duerr |
At the famous ruins of Mitla, the ceremonial and
political center of an important Zapotec city-state, there are elaborate stone
mosaics. Parts of the sacred site
were incorporated into a Spanish colonial church.
The Frissell Museum houses treasures from Mitla and other Oaxacan sites.
We visit a mescal distillery, the Rancho Zapata Mescal
Factory .
 |
| Photos courtesy of TripAdvisor |
We visit the site of Yagul, an important civic and
ceremonial center consisting of a complex of civic and residential structures
known as the Palace of the Six Patios and the Labyrinth.
Day seven
Off to the Zimatlan Valley, where the focus is on
the Post-Classic and Colonial periods.
At Zaachila, two spectacular tombs were uncovered,
revealing polychrome pottery, stucco sculptures, and gold ornaments. Per Wikipedia: These tombs are thought to belong to
important Mixtec persons. The city is named after Zaachila Yoo, the
Zapotec ruler, in the late 14th and early 15th century. Zaachila was home of
Donaji- the last Zapotec princess
 |
| Photo courtesy of El Ágora |
 |
| Tomb One …. Photo courtesy of El Agora |
Cuilapan is a Zapotec city
where construction of a huge colonial convent was never completed. It was built by the Dominicans in the 16th
century. The town is a place of
historical importance since General Vicente Guerrero was executed here. Here we are about 15 minutes from the city
of Oaxaca...
 |
| Photo courtesy TripAdvisor |
 |
| Photo courtesy of https://programadestinosmexico.com/ |
At Arrazola, a village that specializes in the
carving and painting of unique, often bizzarre, wooden animals, we see the
vibrant traditions of the modern Zapotec.
Many of the artists here became world famous.
And so the trip ends back in Oaxaca, where I flew from there through Mexico City airport, and back to San Francisco. (And yes,I brought back some carvings and some comic small figures of skeletons sitting on toilets.)
