The Trade Routes
Nelly M. Robles Garc?a
The dawn is about to break and groups of people are making their way to the main square in Dani Ba?; some of them are traders and tamemes, others are porters who help transport merchandise from distant regions.
In spite of the movement of the people, one can see an order in the way the goods have been placed so that they can be sold. One sections deals with goods brought from the sea, like fish and tortoises; another sells duck, chicken, turkeys and parrots; another sells a wide variety of medicinal plants; further on, one can see luxury goods like stones, shells and feathers. The merchandise is so diverse that the Grand Plaza is filled with color and the chatter of people trying to bargain and cut a good deal.
The goods are arranged on mats, cloths and skins, or they display them over the stucco floor of the Grand Plaza.
People from neighboring villages come to barter their products with those that come from afar; this region sells medicinal plants and mica.
Some articles, such as cacao and salt from Lambityeco are used as currency.
The traders go from stall to stall with their merchandise; some of them left their homes many moons ago and many moons will pass before they get to return.
One of the places that has a great deal of contact with Dani Ba? is the great city of
Teothuacan, the most important city on the central high plain. The objects mainly traded with this city include green obsidian used for tools like knives and arrow tips, and also luxury goods like nose rings, necklaces and lip rings.
Luxury ceramics and
jade, serpentine and turquoise are obtained through barter with semi nomadic groups from the north.
Micais exported to Teotihuac?n. This material is used on the palace floors and on ceramics. The relationship between these two cities is so important that a group of Zapotecs has settled in Teotihuac?n and vice versa. The trade route linking these two centers passes through the Valley of Tehucac?n, an important population that is the intersection of the trade routes between the regions of the central High Plains and the Gulf Coast.
Many products arrive at this region through the Soconusco region ?
quetzal feathers, parrot feathers and those of other exotic birds used on the headdress of important personages; purple dyed yarns; wax, honey from a tiny insect from the Pet?n area; coloring agents like indigo, animals like the iguana, smoked fish, manatee flesh and handicrafts from Ejutla. Shell products like breastplates, necklaces, bracelets and pendants are made in important centers in the Tehuac?n valley. These products are exported to many distant places.
Merchants also come from the town of Cucatl?n, in the hot area of the Ca?ada.
The stalls are surrounded by locals, who look at the great variety of products brought in from distant places. Before sunset they put their goods away and look for a place to stay for the night before they move on to the next market with their newly acquired goods.
But trading is not the market?s only function. Its most important activity is the sharing of news of things that have happened in other towns and villages, distant or close, like wars between cities or weddings of princes and princesses.
Source: Pasajes de la Historia # 3 Monte Alb?n y los zapotecos
http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/english/historia/prehispanica/detalle.cfm?idsec=1&idsub=2&idpag=595
