Lambityeco is an archaeological site located about 25 km southeast of the city of Oaxaca. The archaeological monuments explored and exposed to sight include two palatial ensembles. These palaces, together with their tombs, were excavated and restored between 1961 and 1976 by the staff of the Institute of Oaxacan Studies, under the direction of John Paddock.
The name of Lambityeco has two possible origins: from the Zhuoteco yehui that translates as "guayabas river", from lambi zapoteca corruption of the Castilian word "alambique" and from the zapoteco pityec that translates as mound, being called then " mound of the still " Tomb in the Lambityeco.
This last interpretation seems to be the most accepted, taking into account that this site was a producer of salt, both during pre-Hispanic times until relatively recent times, since there are data that in 1940 salt was still obtained in this area. This process was carried out by passing water through the land of the region, obtaining salt water in this way; later this water was boiled in pots to obtain the salt when the liquid evaporated. It has been demonstrated that this city was a center of salt production and that it provided up to 90% of the salt consumed in the valley between 600 and 700 d. C. The salt was extracted from the land located in the southern part of the site; Until 1945 the inhabitants of the nearby town of Tlacolula de Matamoros (municipality) still extracted salt from this area. Tomb in Lambityeco.
The city comprises some 197 mounds and an area of 117 hectares, most of which are covered by brush. The site was occupied since 700, but the splendor of the city is between 600 and 750 and coincides with the peak of Monte Albán. The abandonment of the site was made around 750 coinciding also with the abandonment of Monte Alban and the disintegration of the Zapotec state. This disintegration formed numerous small manors in the Oaxacan valleys during this period, so it is believed that the population of Lambityeco could have moved to the site of Yagul. Bibliography
http://www.oaxaca-mio.com/atrac_turisticos/lambityeco.htm
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