Monte Albán — Building G
Building G is the northernmost structure in the central G-H-I complex of Monte Albán’s Main Plaza, a Classic period temple platform contributing to the site’s ceremonial division and symmetry.Location and layout
Building G is located in the center of Monte Albán’s Main Plaza, which measures approximately 300 m (984 ft) by 200 m (656 ft), forming the northern end of the G-H-I chain that visually divides the esplanade. It faces north, toward both Building J and the North Platform, while connected to Building H to the south. The layout is part of a cluster possibly considered a single structure, with general views from the north showing its integration into the Great Plaza. This positioning emphasizes its role in the site’s processional and ceremonial landscape. [3] [4]Architecture and construction
Constructed during Monte Albán III (AD 250–700), Building G is a temple platform built using masonry and stone, classified under architecture and city planning. It belongs to the Classic Period and Terminal Formative Period styles, with the surviving building dating to about 500–750 CE, though begun earlier around 200–300 BCE. The structure is part of a conjoined group with H and I, potentially forming a unified complex. Architecture includes a basamento, though specific details like scapular cornices are noted in similar central buildings. Phased development aligns with the plaza’s evolution, using local materials without later modifications. [5] [3]Sculpture and epigraphy
Building G lacks documented sculpture or epigraphy specific to it, though the central complex may include minor decorative elements shared with H and I. Any iconography would reflect Zapotec motifs of ritual and authority. [3] [6]Archaeological research
Excavated by Alfonso Caso during the 1931–1953 Monte Albán Project using stratigraphic and ceramic analysis, Building G was studied as part of the central plaza’s division, dated to Monte Albán III. Andrew Coe suggests the G-H-I complex acted as a great altar, with H as the focus. Recent geophysical surveys provide context for the central area’s sociopolitical role. Debates include whether G, H, I are separate or one structure, with consensus on ceremonial function. [3] [4] [7]Visiting notes
Visitors can view Building G from the Main Plaza’s ground level, noting its northern orientation and symmetry with H and I, following a clockwise path for understanding the central division. [8]Related MAHC WIKI entries
- Main Plaza
- Building H
- Building I
- North Platform
References
- Marcus, Joyce, and Kent V. Flannery. (1996). Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley. Thames & Hudson. Scholarly overview.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (1987). “Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán.” https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/415/. Official listing.
- Sullivan, Mary Ann. (n.d.). “Monte Albán: Buildings in the Center of the Grand Plaza.” Bluffton University. https://homepages.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/mexico/oaxaca/montealban/center.html. Description of central buildings.
- On the Road in Mexico. “Monte Albán – Central Plaza Buildings.” https://www.ontheroadin.com/Mexico Archeology/Monte Alban – Central Plaza Buildings.htm. Detailed on G, H, I.
- Texas Tech University Libraries. “Arch Design Images · Building G.” https://exhibits.lib.ttu.edu/s/archlib/item/36611. Classification and date.
- Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. (2001). “Monte Albán: Sacred Architecture.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/alban/hd_alban.htm. General essay.
- Levine, Marc N., et al. (2021). “Monte Albán’s Hidden Past.” Latin American Antiquity. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/latin-american-antiquity/article/monte-albans-hidden-past-buried-buildings-and-sociopolitical-transformation/BA2A7630ADF117443C01C801C99EAED6. Geophysical context.
- Sailing Stone Travel. (2023). “Visiting Monte Albán.” https://sailingstonetravel.com/visiting-monte-alban/. Visitor notes.
