Lambityeco is a small archaeological site about three kilometers west of the city of Tlacolula de Matamoros in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

The extraordinary artistic quality shown in the various urns, engraved bones and mural paintings in tombs as well as by decorated architectonic elements with mosaics in stucco is remarkable.

This name comes from the Nahuatl word "Huaxyacac",[4] which refers to a tree called a "guaje" (Leucaena leucocephala), found in area around the capital city.

Evidence of human habitation dating back to about 11,000 years BCE has been found in the Guilá Naquitz cave near the town of Mitla.

[6] The diet developed around this time would remain until the Spanish Conquest, consisting primarily of harvested corn, beans, chocolate, tomatoes, chili peppers, squash and gourds.

Other important settlements from the same time period include Tierras Largas, San José Mogote and Guadalupe, whose ceramics show Olmec influence.

They left archaeological evidence at the ancient city of Monte Albán in the form of buildings, ball courts, magnificent tombs and grave goods including finely worked gold jewelry.

Archaeologist Marcus Winter points out the following development stages of the culture:[10] The expansion of the Zapotec empire peaked during the Monte Alban II phase.

This disintegration formed numerous smaller settlements in the Oaxaca Valley during that time; it is believed that the Lambityeco population might have moved to the Yagul site, located a few kilometers west.

[3] This set includes the largest site structure, it is 6 meters high made up of two slope bodies with stairways on its west side.

[3] The people depicted in the tableau are: a man in a horizontal position (face down), with a tipped jaw, has ears, wears a maxtlatl and in his hand holds a human femur.

The female is in the same position as the man with a Zapotec hairstyle with entwined ribbons, earrings and round bead necklaces, wears a quechquemitl.

In the frieze located on the northern wall, are depicted "Señor 4 cara humana" and "Señora 10 mono" who occupied the oldest Palace between 600 and 625 CE.

On the frieze located on the southern wall are depicted "Señor 8 búho" and "Señora 3 turquesa" that utilized the second palace between 625 and 650 CE.

[11] Unfortunately the top level has almost disappeared; it would represent "señor 8 muerte" and "señora 5 Caña" that people buried in Tomb 6 located in front of the altar.

Rooms are distributed around two patios oriented east-west, in front of each building still is pottery embedded in the dirt floor possibly used for some ceremonies.

Each wall has a large stone and mud mask covered with a thin stucco layer that represents Cocijo, the zapoteco god of rain, thunder and lightning.

[3] As per ethnographic data, this would be the supreme priest residence, who controlled and directed all religious topics and at least be the Cocijo terrestrial representative, as is assumed by the urns and masks decorating the central chamber, from where possibly celebrated ceremonies related to the cult to the God of Rain.

[3] After five months of restoration works, one of the few pictures of prehispanic governors was recovered, located in the facade of Tomb 6 at the Lambityeco archaeological site, in Oaxaca.

[12] These are "señor 1 Temblor" and "señora 10 Caña" with an antiquity of more than 1300 years, recovered by the work of National Anthropology and History Institute (INAH) specialists.