A royal palace from 2.300 years ago, which may have remained in use for around 200 years, was discovered in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, reports an article published in the journal PNAS. According to the authors, the period coincides with the emergence of an archaic state in the region. The complex also has architectural similarities with much later palaces, described in the colonial period.
“Excavation data documents a multifunctional palace complex covering a maximum area of 2.790 m2, on the north side of a plaza and consisting of both government and residential components. The data indicates that the complex was designed and built as a single building”, says the article, written by researchers from the New York Museum of Natural History.
“The emergence of the first States is a major research problem in anthropology”, highlights the article. “A fundamental archaeological manifestation of States is the royal palace”. The authors cite the work of William T. Sanders (1926-2008), who conducted archaeological excavations in the 70s in Guatemala, and who drew attention to the importance of the palace as a measure of the ruler's authority and the level of organization of society.
“He determined that although the chiefs of pre-state societies could summon a considerable labor force to build temples and other public buildings, they were unable to muster the labor force to build their own residences. In contrast, rulers of large, socially stratified states comprised a specialized ruling class of men and women endowed with the authority and manpower to commission monumental palaces for themselves,” they write.
The article in PNAS goes on to describe the configuration of the palace and the artifacts found inside, including braziers, jars and urns, many carved with stylized human figures. The royal palace complex was separated from the temples and priests' quarters, which occupied the eastern side of the square. The residential and functional parts of the palace were connected by a staircase. The royal residence was located in the highest part of the land, overlapping the other structures in the square and its surroundings.
Reference
Ancient palace complex (300–100 BC) discovered in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico
[ doi: 10.1073/pnas.1701336114 ]
