Santos Reyes Nopala
| Santos Reyes Nopala | |
|---|---|
| Municipality and town | |
 Santos Reyes Nopala
|
|
| Coordinates: 16°6′N 97°9′W / 16.100°N 97.150°WCoordinates: 16°6′N 97°9′W / 16.100°N 97.150°W | |
| Country |
 Mexico
|
| State | Oaxaca |
| Area | |
| • Total | 196.48 km2 (75.86 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 460 m (1,510 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 14,504 |
| Time zone | Central Standard Time (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | Central Daylight Time (UTC-5) |
Santos Reyes Nopala is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. It is part of the Juquila District in the center of the Costa Region. The name Nopala is derived from the Nahuatl word for cactus.
The municipality covers an area of 196.48 km² at a height of 460 meters above sea level. It is located in a valley near to the Pacific coast. The climate is tropical and humid, with an average temperature of 26°C, rising in late spring and early summer to 35°C. Flora is typical of the warm region, including palm trees and a wide variety of plants. Wildlife include deer, badgers, iguana and armadillo.
Nopala was founded around 800 BC, and reached its heyday between 500 and 700 AD during what is called the "Cerro Iglesia" (Church Hill) period. During this phase the community was about five miles north of its current location on a hill that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The site contains important stone structures including a ball court, tombs and temples decorated with sculptures. Some of the large stone steles have been removed from the Cerro Iglesia site and are now preserved in the walls of Nopala city hall. Cerro Iglesia was abandoned around 800 AD for unknown reasons. The people moved about seven miles south and again built large stone buildings, ball court and pyramids. The new site, called "Arroyo de Piedra" (Stone Creek) was discovered by a group of archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History in 1985, and although unexplored appears to be of great importance.
During the Cerro Iglesia period the government was theocratic. After the move to Arroyo de Piedra, it became a monarchy which lasted until the Spanish arrived in March 1522. The economy was based on cultivation of corn, beans, peppers and squash, as the inhabited area is very wet and could provide up to two crops a year. The city state also traded with its Chatino neighbors and with the coastal Mixtec and the Zapotec people. Society was organized by class. Priests directed and performed religious rites, defined the times of planting and harvesting, and wore unique styles of clothing and ornaments such as earplugs, necklaces and headdresses. The other classes were the military, merchants, architects, sculptors, craftsmen and finally the common people. This last class worked the fields, built and maintained infrastructure and supported the priests. Their religion was polytheistic and idolatrous, worshiping the sun, considered the creator of the race, land, food and life, the moon, goddess of the night, the god of fire and the god of rain or water.
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Wikipedia