The Legacy of Mesoamerica History and Culture of a Native American Civilization, 2nd Edition

fore, giving rise to the notion of an international or cosmopolitan art style—so named

because it was an artistic style that was an amalgamation of elements from many re-

gions of Mesoamerica, including Central Mexico, the Mixtec region, and the Mayan

region (Boone and Smith 2003; see also the discussion of Mesoamerica as a “world-

system” in Chapter 3 to follow this one). Technological innovations, such as the use

of the bow and arrow and cotton-quilted armor, also were adopted throughout the

region in the Late Postclassic period.

We now turn to a brief discussion of Late Postclassic historical developments

within several of the major regions of Mesoamerica.

Oaxaca

Prior to the Postclassic period, the Oaxaca region had been dominated to a great ex-

tent by events taking place in the Valley of Oaxaca, an area populated by the Za-

potecs. But in the Postclassic period, the Mixtecs, who inhabited much of Oaxaca

outside the central Valley of Oaxaca, began to have a much greater influence on

other Mesoamericans (see the Mixtec Profile later).

After the decline of Monte Albán, the Valley of Oaxaca was divided into a large

number of independent city-states, none of which exercised absolute control over the

valley, although the city-state of Zaachila was highly revered (see Chapter 3). The

Postclassic occupation of Monte Albán was relatively small, but it had impressive ar-

chitecture, and the site wielded considerable political power because it was home to

CHAPTER 2 LATE POSTCLASSIC MESOAMERICA 79

Figure 2.1 Locations of major later Postclassic Period sites.

Tula

Tzintzuntzan

Tenochtitten

Mitla

UtatiSn

Tayasali

Puuc sites

MayapSn Chichen ItzS

N

o soo

km