The Zapotecs along with the Mayans devised sophisticated and complex symbols that are thought be among Mesoamerica's earliest writing systems. The primary themes that appear in ancient Zapotec writing and symbols involve power and history. Symbols and writing provided a venue for Zapotecs to express their identities and to reference themselves in terms of time and space.
Many glyphs have to do with naming people and places, referencing time, and expressing power.
Power is conveyed by illustrating human beings with clothing, adornments and postures that correspond to high status in real life, as well as through the use of masks and headdresses. By wearing a mask or headdress, the wearer was taking on another face and empowering himself to speak words of special significance. It is believed that leaders and priests wore masks and headdresses as marks of their power and authority over other members of society. The glyph frequently appears above human figures on carved stones and painted murals. Human figures are framed by the place glyph and sky jaws, thereby locating them symbolically between the earth and the sky.