According to the passage, what is the latest date that could be given to a piece of art designated pre-Columbian? The land occupied today by Mexico was once home to a number of great civilizations. These ancient peoples made important contributions to such fields as city planning, architecture, science, mathematics and art. The Zapotec civilizations flourished between the first and sixth centuries. Within the lasting legacy of this people are numerous artifacts typifying pre-Columbian art-- -art dating to the times before the arrival of Columbus in 1492.

The capital city of the Zapotec empire was Monte Alban, located in the highlands of Mexico. The Zapotec probably did not live within the city itself, which is thought rather to have served purely as a religious and ceremonial center. Evidence to support this assumption is the lack of a nearby water source.

Within the city, Zapotec architects erected massive temples. One of these, which has survived, is known today simply as "Temple J." This structure dates to around 200 BC. Believed to have been an observatory, Temple J is shaped oddly, like an arrow. On its face are forty stones with carvings of places thought to have been conquered by the Zapotec.

Another surviving artifact is the Figural Urn shown. The object, which was discovered in a tomb, likely contained the ashes of the deceased. Notice the abundance of geometric shapes and forms throughout the work. These are typical of Zapotec and other pre-Columbian cultures.