Dainzú, Archaeological site on a hillside near Tlacolula, Mexico.
Dainzú is an archaeological site on a hillside near Tlacolula with multiple excavated buildings arranged along terraces. Stone structures throughout the site display construction techniques used in ancient Mesoamerica, each positioned to follow the natural slope of the land.
People lived and built here from around 750 BCE until about 1000 CE, when the site was eventually abandoned. Systematic excavations revealed the settlement's layout and helped understand its role in the region during that long period.
The carved figures show ball players in motion, revealing how much this game meant to the people who lived here. Walking through the site, you can see how this sport was woven into their daily and ceremonial life.
Regular buses and shared taxis run from Oaxaca City along the Tlacolula road, making the site accessible without your own transport. The route is straightforward, and the journey is short enough for a half-day visit.
One tomb entrance features a jaguar sculpture with its face carved into the stone lintel and paws extending down the sides. This powerful feline image likely served as a guardian figure for those buried beneath.
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