Researchers at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Monte Albán in Oaxaca, Mexico, have discovered a subterranean Zapotec scriptorium dating back to 500 BCE. The room, accessible via a hidden stone staircase, contains stone benches and specialized carving tools, along with wall surfaces covered in some of the earliest known Zapotec glyphs, providing a timeline for the development of writing in Mesoamerica.
The inscriptions appear to record genealogical data and astronomical observations, suggesting the scriptorium served as a centralized location for the state's official historians and priests. This discovery is vital for understanding the political consolidation of the Zapotec civilization, as it demonstrates a centralized effort to document and legitimize the ruling dynasty's power through the written word.