Santa Maria Atzompa- II

Digital Painting

20” x 20”

Printed on archival paper

This painting began as a macro photo of green glazed pottery from Santa Maria Atzompa, taken in brilliant sunlight.

Santa Maria Atzompa was founded between 650 and 850 C.E. as a satellite city to Monte Alban, along with other nearby communities such as Cerro del Gallo, El Plumaje, Monte Alban Chico and El Mogollito. These communities were created as a result of the expansion of the large Zapotec city, but were considered to be separate units, rather than neighborhoods of the city proper. The Atzompa community was established on a hill for strategic reasons, overlooking the fertile Valley of Etla below, partly as a bulwark against the neighboring Mixtec. There is also evidence that the town served as the last way station for quarried stone making its way to the construction of the last buildings in the city of Monte Alban. Objects found at the site include local barro negro potteryas well as obsidian. (Wikipedia)