Today, the ‘tour’ was scheduled to go up to Monte Alban, a pre-columbian archeological site just west of Oaxaca. My lovely bride has seen it once, that was enough for her, so the tour departed slightly down on troop strength.
![Common BLossoming tree on Monte Alban](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6539-400x266.jpg)
It was a beautiful day, some cloud cover so it didn’t get too hot, but enough blue sky to make it interesting. These trees are all over Monte Alban, and the story is that they are the genesis of the name that the spainiards gave to the place (monte alban- white mountain). This one is near the visitors center and museum.
![part of our tour group discusses the site](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6558-400x266.jpg)
This was one of our first stops, at an excavated residence, complete with burial tombs. We had a pretty long and involved discussion here of the societal forces and reflections around having all you ancestors buried in your backyard, for all intents and purposes. This was not a mobile society, obviously. No one wants someone else’s relatives buried in the back yard, after all!
![The view of the northern portion of the top of the mountain](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6590-400x266.jpg)
Looking south across the northermost section of the Monte Alban site From here we hiked south, kind of around the nw corner of the excavations on the hilltop, leading us to this:
![Looking south across the northermost section of the Monte Alban site](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6571-400x266.jpg)
This is the area just to the north of the main plaza, the rounded lump you see centered in the picture is the un-excavated top of the southern edifice on the site. From here we move south, up the steps in the middle of the picture, to see this:
![The main plaza at Monte Alban](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6598-400x266.jpg)
This is the main plaza at Monte Alban, the little black dots you see down there are people, it gives a little idea of the scale. The place is pretty huge! The last time we were here it was winter, and very brown. This is the very end of the rainy season, so everything is nice and green.
This is one of the more symmetrical and complete pyramids among those that have been excavated.
![one of the more symmetrical and complete pyramids here](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6605-400x266.jpg)
This large construction is in the NW corner of the main plaza.
![another large construction at Monte Alban](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6627-400x266.jpg)
These columns once stood 12 meters high, and held a roof over this walkway, probably so the chiefs could look down upon all the activity below in shaded comfort.
![A walkway, once covered](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6617-400x266.jpg)
A sunken area in the main plaza.
![A sunken portion of the main plaza](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6630-400x266.jpg)
These bas-relief figures are in the SW corner of the plaza. There is much academic discussion over their actual purpose, some say they are medical pictures, some say they depict prisoners, but pretty much everyone agrees they aren’t dancers. it was the first thing that came to someones mind, and it stuck.
![Stone carvings known as Los Danzantes](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6645-400x266.jpg)
![More Dancers](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6648-400x266.jpg)
This is the Ball Court, where a ceremonial game reminiscent of soccer and handball was played.
![The Ball Court](http://blackdogandmagpie.net/shoes/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/DSC_6667-400x266.jpg)