Zapoteca Indians

A powerful and numerous Mexican tribe located chiefly in Oaxaca and Guerrero, forming with the Mixteca and Mazateca the Zapotecan linguistic stock. At the time of the conquest of Mexico they were independent of the Aztec, whom they resembled in customs; they were defeated by the Spaniards only after several campaigns between 1522 and 1527, not submitting finally till 1551. They were a sedentary race and well advanced in civilization, living in large villages and towns, in houses constructed with stone and mortar. They recorded the principal events in their history by means of hieroglyphics, and in warfare they made use of a cotton armour. The well-known ruins of Mitla have been attributed to them and were clamed by them to be the tombs of their ancestors.