The Mixtec people called themselves Nuu Savi - "the people of the rain" and lived in 3 mountainous regions of modern Oaxaca in the southwest of Mexico.
The Mixstacks never built large cities like Thule or Teotihuacan, but instead lived and worked in small settlements in the neighboring valleys.
Much is unknown about the prehistory of these people, but archaeological evidence suggests that the culture flourished between 940 and 1500 AD.
Around 1350, the Mixtecs took control of the sacred, ceremonial site of Monte Alban, near the modern city of Oaxaca, from the Zapotecs who ruled Monte Alban for about 12 centuries.
Monte Alban.
Later, archaeological finds showed that in the bowels of Monte Alban, especially in tomb No. 7, luxurious funerary treasures of gold, silver, pearls and turquoise were kept.
They were a complex society that, unlike other cultures, had a continuous history that goes from the Pre-Classical (at least 1500 BC) to the end of the Post-Classical (AD 900 and the Spanish parish in 1519 year).
View of the Mixtec tomb, archaeological site in Zaachil, Oaxaca, Mexico.
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In the 10th century, several kingdoms of the Mixtecs were created, in which nobles, artisans and peasants lived. Later, in the years 500-750. n. BC, Mixstacks created urban centers and developed calendar, monumental architecture, terraced farming, impressive irrigation systems and glyphs. Their most important and one of the oldest settlements in Oaxaca was Tilantongo, and the illustrated Mixtec codices tell stories of its kings.
Mixtec Codex.
Much space is dedicated to one of the greatest dynasties of Mixtec, the Tilantogo dynasty, established after the marriage of two nobles in the sacred city of Mixtec Tilantogo in 990 AD. and Lord 8 Stag (also known as the Eight Claws of the Stag Jaguar), the powerful 11th century Mixtec ruler of Oaxaca referred to several Mixtec manuscripts, most notably the 15th century Buckhide Codex Zouche-Nuttall.
However, only 8 original historical documents of the Mixtecs have survived to this day.
The bib (or chimalli) was made by Mixtec craftsmen using ingredients such as gold and turquoise.
Mixed stacks were masters of making gold and metal objects.
The Mixtec legacy includes many more amazing achievements. For example, these people were considered the foremost jewelers of Mesoamerica, who possessed the knowledge of casting gold and its alloys from lost wax, which led to remarkable work with gold and the art of jewelry (necklaces, breast jewelry, rings, earrings, and nose rings). The art of designing with feathers is also included in their rich heritage.
Another huge achievement of the Mixtecs is the system of written signs and images that influenced other Mesoamerican cultures. The system was used to record (in deerskin) historical and cultural events such as births, marriages and deaths of nobles, wars and victories, as well as other important events that influenced the Mixtec society.
Mixtec Codex.
The Aztecs conquered many lands in Mexico and Mesoamerica through wars.
Mixed stacks were one of them. Many died in sacrifices, and some of the most skilled artisans moved to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan to create new unique gold pieces for their new rulers. The Mixtec nobility, like other inhabitants of the conquered lands, was obliged to pay tribute to the rulers of Tenochtitlan.
Today they are considered the fourth largest group of indigenous peoples in Mexico, after Nahua, Maya and Zapoteca - among the most numerous Indian cities in Mexico.