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A pair of archaeologists with the American Museum of Natural History has unearthed a palatial compound in El Palenque's plaza in the Oaxaca Valley in Mexico. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Elsa Redmond and Charles Spencer describe their work, what they have uncovered and how their findings fit with the emergence of organized states in Mesoamerica.
[...] The palace has been dated to approximately 2,100 to 2,300 years ago, a time before the Aztecs. Most in the field believe that the civilization that existed in Oaxaca was among the earliest states to come into existence in Mesoamerica. Redmond and Spencer suggest that their findings at the palace site back up that theory.
The palace, the pair report, was well preserved and covered approximately 2,790 square meters and had not only living quarters for the ruler and his family, but business offices, a staircase, a dining area and a place to perform sacrifices. The researchers report that construction techniques used by the builders suggest the building was designed ahead of time and that it was likely a single construction effort that would have taken a lot of organization. Also, its large size demonstrated that the ruler had a lot of manpower at his disposal. The researchers also note that personal details are still evident in some parts of the palace, such as the cistern for collecting rainwater in the residential quarters and the drain carved into stone to bring in fresh water and remove waste.
A similar find in Mexico: Circular Temple to God of Wind Uncovered in Mexico City
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 29 2017, @03:16PM (6 children)
Business offices? 30,031 square feet? Based on the pictures, it sounds like a lot of imagination has gone into reconstructing this structure.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday March 29 2017, @04:31PM (5 children)
The floor space was about 10 times a McMansion. My city of 100K has a large multiple of that tied up in city hall and muni courthouse and police dept and library and schools and all churches combined. So it has to be kept in mind that "palace of a nation state" doesn't mean California or even the governors mansion in New York they mean like a small neighborhood in Athens or a village in pre-Roman England or something.
Also I clicked thru and read, or at least skimmed, the articles and business offices appears to be a journalist translation of the proposed priesthood residences. Or here's a room that doesn't appear to be a kitchen or bedroom or temple so its a ... business office, sure.
(Score: 4, Funny) by bob_super on Wednesday March 29 2017, @04:38PM (4 children)
> business offices, a staircase, a dining area and a place to perform sacrifices.
I knew something was missing for my house to be better than my rich neighbors!
Losers with their theaters and giant wine caves! I'm gonna be a trendsetter.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Wednesday March 29 2017, @05:32PM (1 child)
> business offices, a staircase, a dining area and a place to perform sacrifices.
That is how you motivate the office drones. Be good, be productive or you are the casual(ty) friday.
(Score: 2) by stormwyrm on Thursday March 30 2017, @03:34AM
Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Wednesday March 29 2017, @09:34PM (1 child)
Very intriguing. Can I visit your place when the staircase is finished?
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday March 29 2017, @10:47PM
Had to blow it up to make space for the marble-lined wall-to-wall entryway elevator.
But you can take the kids' second escalator if you'd like. The primary one needed a bit of extra touch up to the left dryad's birthmark.