Elderly people in Monte Albán, Oaxaca, during the Classic Period

Abstract

Elderly people, as a group, are a sector of the population that is rarely touched upon regarding research on ancient societies. The main objective of this study is to describe and analyze, qualitatively, adults above the age of 50 in the great city of Monte Albán, which united upwards of 10% of the total elderly population. This age group inhabited the Zapotec capital throughout the Classic Period, when society was going through a time of social, political, and economic boom. We describe the theoretical and methodological positions regarding old age and its study in the past and evaluate the degenerative processes related to longevity and lifestyle. The results obtained show the effects of aging among elderly men and women. Osteoarticular diseases were frequent, as was the loss of teeth, osteoporosis, arthritis, and synostosis in vertebrae, alongside the natural phenomenon of the gradual deterioration of the body. Regarding the differential funeral treatment for this group, we found that both men and women were deposited in tombs, which was a distinction within the domestic group.