ZAPOTEC ECONOMY: MAIN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES - HISTORY - 2025

The Zapotec economy had its solid foundations specifically in two areas: agriculture and commerce. The Zapotec culture is part of the Mexican pre-Columbian era and refers to a society that had broad influence, since it is considered one of the main cultures that made up Mesoamerica.

The origin of the Zapotec culture was close to the year 800 before Christ and its physical setting was the current state of Oaxaca. This culture has had such significance that even today it is possible to find large communities that maintain their Zapotec roots. It is estimated that today in the state of Oaxaca and its surroundings there are about 800,000 members of this population.

The Zapotec culture was one of the most influential in Mesoamerica. Source: Yavidaxiu

Fishing, hunting and gathering were activities that were present in the economic environment of the Zapotecs, but agriculture was their main source of subsistence and commercialization.

Among the most relevant foods that the Zapotecs grew, corn stands out, which became the main sustenance not only of this community, but also of those that were in the surroundings.

As a consequence of the demand for this and other products, the Zapotecs also exercised the functions of merchants, since they were in charge of distributing their products to neighboring communities. Thanks to these actions, commerce became one of the fundamental pillars of the Zapotec economy.

Main activities of the Zapotec economy

-Farming

Various investigations have determined that the Zapotec community was especially dedicated to agriculture. In fact, it is considered that the Zapotecs were a people clearly focused on agriculture and this can be evidenced thanks to the large agricultural cities that they came to build and populate.

Each Zapotec home was considered an independent production center, so each family was in charge of watching over their crops. The production of the Zapotecs was characterized by being for their own consumption and also for commercialization.

Irrigation systems

Regarding cultivation methods, the Zapotec community had some highly complex irrigation systems that allowed the generation of optimal harvests.

There is evidence showing that the Zapotecs created terraces, channels and various structures through which they generated a fairly efficient agricultural procedure.

However, it is worth noting that not all producers used these complicated systems, and many depended exclusively on rainwater. In general terms, it can be said that Zapotec agriculture was of the temporary type.

Wide extension

The Zapotec culture occupied large areas of land, which is why the different regions in which they developed could vary in terms of climatic conditions and soil characteristics; The irrigation system to be implemented also depended on these factors.

As a consequence of these differences that existed in the regions, in each one of them a different food could be grown, which would respond better to the specific conditions of that area.

For example, in the areas that were in the valley of the territory, some Zapotecs grew wheat and chickpea. On the contrary, the higher areas were ideal for growing coffee and in the areas near the isthmus, foods such as coconut, mango and banana could be found.

Among the main food products cultivated by the Zapotecs are cacao, beans, chili, squash and corn; the latter was one of the most important, and even represented a kind of exchange currency between the Zapotec culture and neighboring communities.

Some foods also produced by the Zapotecs but on a smaller scale were onion, peas, and garlic, among others. They also harvested different types of fruits, such as plums, grapes, and custard apples.

Utensil construction

It is worth noting that a large part of the contributions of the Zapotec culture are reflected in the creation of various utensils thanks to which both the harvest and the treatment of the food they sowed were facilitated.

Such is the case of the so-called metate, a tool made of stone through which they ground corn. This implement was of great economic importance, because thanks to it it was possible to create different types of flours that, in addition to being consumed within the same community, could be marketed and generated succulent economic benefits.

Today there are still rural communities that continue to use metate as a grinding tool; They are located in Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, among other countries.

-Commerce

The Zapotecs carried out a fairly elaborate trade through which they were able to sustain their economy. Investigations have determined that this culture conceived several trade routes that crossed the entire region

One of the main means of commercial exchange was corn, a food that was practically used as a currency. Corn was one of the most important crops of the Zapotecs, so it was convenient for them to use it as the main means of exchange.

In addition to corn, the Zapotecs also gave high value to the maguey, a type of plant from which the main ingredient of beverages such as mezcal is extracted, which is widely recognized and consumed in Mexico.

Craft industry

In addition to trading food, the Zapotecs also based their trade on other elements produced by pottery and ceramics. This is evidenced by the fact that characteristic Zapotec handicrafts have been found in neighboring communities in the area.

Some of the outstanding elements that the Zapotecs made were funerary masks and urns. Likewise, they commercialized a great variety of fabrics made with the cotton that they themselves harvested and which was another essential element of their economy.

Cochineal grana

Among the most relevant contributions of the Zapotec culture stands out the commercialization of the cochineal grana, an insect that lives in a parasitic way in the nopal. After dissecting the female's body, so-called carmic acid, which is nothing more than a red dye, can be extracted from it.

This product was widely marketed in the Mesoamerican area and also later to European countries. The Zapotec culture was among the first to produce and market this product.

References

1. Delgado, G. "History of Mexico, volume 1" in Google Books. Retrieved on March 18, 2019 from Google Books: books.google.cl
2. "Zapotec culture" in Wikipedia. Retrieved on March 18, 2019 from Wikipedia: wikipedia.org
3. Fernandez, I. "History of Mexico" in Google Books. Retrieved on March 18, 2019 from Google Books: books.google.cl
4. "Zapoteca" in the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Retrieved on March 18, 2019 from Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino: precolombino.cl
5. Cartwright, M. "Zapotec civilization" in Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved on March 18, 2019 from Ancient History Encyclopedia: ancient.eu
6. "La grana cochinilla" in Mexico Unknown. Retrieved on March 18, 2019 from unknown Mexico: mexicodesconocido.com.mx