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Anthropology & Archaeology Topic

 
By Mark Hilton, January 14, 2017
Bottle Creek Site Marker in front of Baldwin County Courthouse.
1 Alabama, Baldwin County, Bay Minette — Bottle Creek Site
Bottle Creek Site has been designated a National Historic Landmark. This site possesses national significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America.Map (db m100849) HM
2 Alabama, Baldwin County, Blakeley — Site of Baldwin County's First Courthouse
This foundation is all that remains of Baldwin County’s first courthouse. Authorized in 1820 but not constructed until circa 1833, the two-story brick building contained a jail on the bottom floor with office space on the upper floor. . . . Map (db m131830) HM
3 Alabama, Calhoun County, Oxford — Charcoal Production at Caver-Christian-Davis Farm — AD 1865 to AD 2000 — Choccolocco Park Interpretive Trail —
When workers began excavating the lake for Choccolocco Park, they uncovered several large charcoal-filled ditches that formed circles. Archaeologists investigated these features and determined that these were the remains of 19th century charcoal . . . Map (db m144947) HM
4 Alabama, Calhoun County, Oxford — Paleoindian — 12,750 BC to 9,500 BC — Choccolocco Park Interpretive Trail —
The people living during the Paleoindian period experienced a world very different from that we know today. These people lived during the last ice age when large mammals still roamed North America. Archaeologists sometimes refer to these . . . Map (db m144948) HM
5 Alabama, Calhoun County, Oxford — Reconstructing the Cultural Landscape — Choccolocco Park Interpretive Trail —
The stone mound here once sat on nearby Signal Mountain and is now understood to be part of a much larger cultural landscape. Working with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the people of the Arbeka (Abihka) Ceremonial Ground, archaeologist Robert . . . Map (db m144927) HM
6 Alabama, Calhoun County, Oxford — The Choccolocco Creek Archaeological Complex — Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail
Centered around Boiling Spring, the Choccolocco Creek Archaeological Complex once consisted of at least three earthen mounds, a large stone mound, and a large snake effigy (representation) also made of stone. The largest earthen mound once stood . . . Map (db m144926) HM
7 Alabama, Calhoun County, Oxford — Woodland — 1,250 BC to AD 1000 — Choccolocco Park Interpretive Trail —
Woodland period people established permanent communities within a climate and forest that was very similar to that experienced by today's residents of the Choccolocco Valley. By AD 100, the residents had started constructing the earthen mound . . . Map (db m144977) HM
8 Alabama, Colbert County, Muscle Shoals — Natural and Cultural Preservation / Protecting Resources
Natural and Cultural Preservation TVA is fully committed to protecting our natural and cultural resources. And nowhere is that more evident than right here at Wilson Dam. Here, the 25-acre Old First quarters Small Wild Area showcases the . . . Map (db m106189)
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9 Alabama, Dallas County, Beloit — Cahawba — Reported missing
Site of Alabama's first permanent capital 1820-26. County seat Dallas County, 1820-66. Prison for Union soldiers during the War Between the States 1863-65. Indians were the first inhabitants over 4000 years ago. Their large fortified village could . . . Map (db m75779) HM
10 Alabama, Dallas County, Cahaba — A River of Riches
The Cahaba River is the longest free-flowing stretch of river in Alabama. It is 194 miles long and drains an area of 1,870 square miles. Recognized as one of "Alabama's Ten Natural Wonders," the Cahaba River has received attention . . . Map (db m274548) HM
11 Alabama, Dallas County, Cahaba — Civil War Prison
In 1858, the railroad company graded away an Indian mound that stood here. A brick warehouse was built in its place. From 1863 - 1865 the Confederate government used this warehouse to hold captured Federal Soldiers. You are standing on a pile of . . . Map (db m22666) HM
12 Alabama, Dallas County, Cahaba — The Mound at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park — Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail
Between AD 1500 and 1600, the indigenous inhabitants of the area around the confluence of the Cahaba and Alabama Rivers built a flat-topped mound measuring about ½ acre in size. The mound was the central feature of a semicircular village . . . Map (db m150834) HM
13 Alabama, Hale County, Moundville — A Perspective of Power — Moundville Archaeological Park
Imagine a clan chief 800 years ago standing exactly where you are. It's possible he would see something resembling this artist's rendering. Larger mounds, like this one, dotted the plaza's perimeter, serving as elevated platforms for . . . Map (db m144752) HM
14 Alabama, Hale County, Moundville — Mound B — Moundville Archaeological Park
The mound in front of you probably once served as a platform for the principal chief's house. The noble who lived there was an extremely important political and religious figure. It is likely that this chief claimed to have divine relationships with . . . Map (db m144808) HM
15 Alabama, Hale County, Moundville — Moundville
Site of a prehistoric Native American political and ceremonial center from about A. D. 1100-1500 that, at its height in the 13th century, was America’s largest community north of Mexico. Between 1,000 and 3,000 people lived in this town fortified . . . Map (db m30700) HM
16 Alabama, Hale County, Moundville — Moundville Archaeological Park — Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail
I do not think in the Southern States there is a group of Mounds to compare to Moundville, in the arrangement and state of preservation of the mounds. - Clarence B. Moore, amateur archaeologist, 1910 Spanning more than . . . Map (db m144745) HM
17 Alabama, Hale County, Moundville — Moundville Archaeological Park — Moundville Archaeological Park
Welcome to Moundville Archaeological Park, the best preserved site of its kind in North America. At its height, Moundville was the largest and most powerful political and religious center in the Southeast. Nobles at Moundville ruled over thousands . . . Map (db m144759) HM
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18 Alabama, Hale County, Moundville — Politics and Power — Moundville Archaeological Park
The mounds you see here were built in a very orderly arrangement over the course of about 100 years. Surrounding them was an immense wall constructed from tens of thousands of logs. How did the rulers harness the manpower and allegiance of the . . . Map (db m144774) HM
19 Alabama, Hale County, Moundville — Protection and the Palisade — Moundville Archaeological Park
Rival Mississippian chiefdoms constantly threatened one another. Warfare was a way of life for most men. By proving their valor militarily, warriors probably increased their overall status as they were promoted up through the ranks. One theory . . . Map (db m144815) HM
20 Alabama, Hale County, Moundville — The CCC and Moundville — Moundville Archaeological Park —
The Civilian Conservation Corps was born during the turmoil of the Great Depression. Hundreds of thousands of young men were out of work, and wasteful exploitation of the environment had devoured millions of acres across America. In 1933, as part of . . . Map (db m144813) HM
21 Alabama, Jefferson County, Bessemer — The Bessemer Site — Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail
The Bessemer Site was the largest indigenous mound site in what is now Jefferson County, and it once dominated a large territory in what became north-central Alabama. Occupied from about AD 1150 to 1250 during the early Mississippian period, . . . Map (db m144908) HM
22 Alabama, Lauderdale County, Florence — Florence Indian Mound — Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail
The Florence Indian Mound was the heart of a largely indigenous cultural center that existed along this section of the Tennessee River Valley centuries ago. A map was drawn by E. G. Squier and Edwin Davis in 1848 showed the mound as originally . . . Map (db m191412) HM
23 Alabama, Lauderdale County, Florence — Prehistoric Mound — (Probably Built Between 100 B.C and 400 A.D.) — Reported permanently removed
This is the highest domiciliary mound in the Tennessee Valley. It was probably built between 100 B.C. and 400 A.D. by a prehistoric people of the ancient Woodland Culture. Such mounds served as bases for ceremonial temples or chief's houses. This . . . Map (db m251806) HM
24 Alabama, Lauderdale County, Florence — The Florence Mound
The Florence Mound was built in layers, or stages, between ca. AD 0 to 400. At 43 Feet, it is the tallest earthwork in the Tennessee River Valley. An earthen wall nearly 12 feet in height encircled the mound. There is no indication houses or other . . . Map (db m251805) HM
25 Alabama, Lawrence County, Oakville — Copena Burial Mound
Copena Indians built this mound with baskets of dirt some 2000 years ago. The Copena name was derived from their use of copper and galena (lead ore) found in their burials along with gorgets and celts. The mounds were a burial site with the dead . . . Map (db m84315) HM
26 Alabama, Limestone County, Athens — Copena Mound
This burial mound is one of hundreds constructed during the Middle Woodland period between 100 BC and AD 500 by native people who shared burial practices with other similar cultural groups extending from the Gulf and Atlantic coasts to Canada. . . . Map (db m154232) HM
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27 Alabama, Madison County, Huntsville, Monte Sano State Park — James O'Shaughnessy Home
Site of residence built 1890 by Col. James and Lucy O'Shaughnessy. Demolished 1920s. State Archaeological Site #MS1, 1995. The two-story Victorian house had four chimneys, gas lights, water lines, and indoor plumbing. Col. J. O'Shaughnessy . . . Map (db m283187) HM
28 Alabama, Madison County, Huntsville, Monte Sano State Park — Robert Fearn Home
Site of residence built 1835 by Col. Robert and Eliza Fearn later owned by J. O'Shaughnessy. Burned 1890. State Archaeological Site #MS2, 1995. The Jeffersonian Style one and a half story house had Doric columns and one chimney. Candles for . . . Map (db m283179) HM
29 Alabama, Marion County, Hamilton — The Hamilton Mounds Site — Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail
The cluster of three mounds known as the Hamilton Mounds site is the largest indigenous mound site in Marion County, Alabama. The site includes three mounds along the Buttahatchee River: a large mound with a two-tiered summit, another smaller . . . Map (db m174428) HM
30 Alabama, Marshall County, Guntersville — Promoting Your Prosperity
Promoting Your Prosperity From the beginning, TVA was charged with giving the people of the Tennessee Valley region a better opportunity to prosper. Today that means delivering low-cost electricity and bringing good jobs to the region. TVA . . . Map (db m281061) HM
31 Alabama, Mobile County, Dauphin Island — Dauphin Island Indian Shell Mound Park
This park and bird refuge dates from the Mississippian Period (AD 1100 to 1550). Native Americans, who roasted oysters and fished in adjacent Dauphin Island Bay, visited the shell mounds for centuries. From excavations carried out in 1990, . . . Map (db m122350) HM
32 Alabama, Monroe County, Vredenburgh — Bell's Landing / Tinela & Hybart
Bell's Landing Bell's Landing, located 1.5 miles southwest of this site, was a busy river port for nearly a century. The Bell family, early settlers, chose the high bluff on the east side of the Alabama River because it was safe from . . . Map (db m308756) HM
33 Alabama, Montgomery County, Montgomery — Alabama Bicentennial Park / Ancient Sea
Alabama Bicentennial Park Alabama Bicentennial Park commemorates Alabama's 200th anniversary of statehood. The park's bronze relief sculptures present sixteen moments from Alabama history, complemented by narratives that provide historical . . . Map (db m182565) HM
34 Alabama, Russell County, Fort Mitchell — Archaeology and Daily Life Among the Creeks — Creek Heritage Trail
While several written historical accounts of life among the Creeks inform our understanding of their culture, many details of daily life can only be corroborated or verify through archaeology. Foodways One of the most important aspects . . . Map (db m309619) HM
35 Alabama, Sumter County, Cuba — The De Soto Trail — Alabama De Soto Trail —
1492 — Columbus visits Caribbean islands 1519 — Pineda visits Mobile area 1528 — Narvaez reaches Mobile area 1540 — De Soto explores Alabama 1559 — De Luna retraces De Soto's route in Alabama 1702 — . . . Map (db m294532) HM
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36 Alaska, Anchorage, Downtown — Suk Du
Attempting to know what came before our time is like considering the stars. History stretches out behind us for a very, very long time. The Athabaskans referred to it as Suk Du, "the time of long ago". All of Alaska's first people created stories . . . Map (db m260155) HM
37 Alaska, Anchorage, Downtown — The Bear and Raven
The Raven whispers to the Bear, "I really enjoy watching you fish for salmon in Ship Creek". The Bear's large smile and tummy, indicated that he loves it too! This sculpture is dedicated to the fun loving spirit of all Alaskans. . . . Map (db m254240)
38 Alaska, Anchorage, Northeast Anchorage — Ancient Traditions of the Athabascan People
Athabascans were highly nomadic, traveling in small groups to fish, hunt, and trap. Athabascan territory, the largest area of all the Alaska Native peoples, was home to 11 different linguistic groups who lived along five major riverways: the . . . Map (db m72795) HM
39 Alaska, Anchorage, Northeast Anchorage — Raven the Creator — Created by John Hoover in 1998
Raven is the Creator in many Alaska Native and American Indian legends. Elements from my different legends are incorporated into this sculpture including "Raven Stealing the Stars, Sun, and Moon." The human figures in the claws symbolize icons used . . . Map (db m72793) HM
40 Alaska, Anchorage, Taku / Campbell — What Is This “Rock Man”?
For generations the Inuit people of Northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska have constructed these rock monuments for hunting and navigational purposes. Our inuksuk is a giant version based on similar monuments found throughout the Arctic. . . . Map (db m287075) HM
41 Alaska, Copper River Census Area, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve — Traversing the Wilderness — Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve — National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
The first people of interior Alaska arrived hundreds of generations ago…They moved slowly across the low-lying land known as Beringia, or the Bering Land Bridge. Jean S. Agner, Professor of Anthropology, University of Alaska, . . . Map (db m255394) HM
42 Alaska, Denali Borough, Denali National Park and Preserve — Ice Age Hunters — The Deadliest Predators
High above river valleys, at overlooks like this, Denali’s first human visitors watch for mammoth, giant bison, and caribou. Ridge tops made the best game launching platforms; herds tend to follow sheltered stream corridors. Hunters had to . . . Map (db m69724) HM
43 Alaska, Denali Borough, Denali National Park and Preserve — The Language of the Land — Denali National Park and Preserve — National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Alaska Native place names have echoed from the hills since time immemorial and hold key elements for maintaining Alaska native connection to sacred sites, traditional resources, and cultural practices. The Alaska Native people who live and . . . Map (db m284333) HM
44 Alaska, Fairbanks North Star Borough, College — Historical Archaeology
Archaeology is the field of anthropology that deals with the study of historic and prehistoric human activity. Within that branch, the subfield of historical archaeology combines information from artifacts, written records, and oral history to . . . Map (db m256347) HM
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45 Alaska, Juneau Borough, Juneau, Downtown Juneau — Kaagwaantaan Kootιeyaa — Kootιeyaa Deiyν • Totem Pole Trail
[Totem pole effigies, top to bottom] • CLAN HAT WITH KILLER WHALE • CLAN MEMBER • KILLER WHALE • EAGLE • BEAR The Kaagwaantaan, who are of the Eagle moiety, are identified as the Wolf clan. They migrated northward from the . . . Map (db m257970) HM
46 Alaska, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Ketchikan — Chief Johnson Totem Pole — Reported missing
Totem poles are carved to honor deceased ancestors, record history, social events, and oral tradition. They were never worshipped as religious objects. This totem, carved by Israel Shotridge and raised in 1989, is a replica of the Chief . . . Map (db m79703) HM
47 Alaska, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Ketchikan — Chief Kyan Totem Pole
Totem poles are carved to honor deceased ancestors record history, social events, and oral tradition. They were never worshipped as religious objects. This totem is the second replication of the Chief Kyan Totem Pole. The original pole was . . . Map (db m70746) HM
48 Alaska, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Ketchikan, Totem Bight State Historic Park — KET-014 — Clan House
By the 1800's the Tlingit and Haida Indians of Southeast Alaska had developed a very sophisticated and highly stratified society. This clan house, in a natural setting similar to historic Tlingit and Haida villages, along with the surrounding . . . Map (db m307819) HM
49 Alaska, Sitka Borough, Sitka — Forgotten Workers of the Russian-American Company
Blacksmiths and artisans who once lived and toiled on this hill were highly skilled workers of diverse ethnicities. Artifacts found here tell their forgotten story. Under Your Feet In 1997, archaeologists discovered Russian workshops . . . Map (db m181266) HM
50 Alaska, Skagway, Dyea — Asaayνx' Kudziteey Haa Lιelk'u Hαs Aanν — This Land of our Grandparents Has Tlingit Names — Traditional Place Names of the Skagway Area —
* Lkσot Aanν (Chilkoot) Lkσot Aanν is the name of the area from Haines to Skagway, and the name originates from Lkσot Αa ("The Lake that Puked" [Chilkoot Lake]), where a massive rock . . . Map (db m248858) HM
51 Arizona, Apache County, Chinle — House Under Rock
Discovery of two well-preserved mummies led members of an 1880 archeological expedition to call this site Mummy Cave. The traditional Navajo name for this impressive setting is Tsιyaa Kini — House Under Rock. Anasazi lived here for nearly a . . . Map (db m170537) HM
52 Arizona, Apache County, Chinle — Sliding House Ruins
The Navajo know this prehistoric Anasazi village site as Kinααzhoozhν, which means Sliding House. It is an apt description. The dwellings were constructed upon a steeply sloping ledge, and even the ingenious Anasazi builders were unable to keep many . . . Map (db m285791) HM
53 Arizona, Apache County, Petrified Forest National Park — Work of Generations — Petrified Forest — National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Step up to the railing ahead and you will see one of the park’s largest concentrations of petroglyphs. It is called Newspaper Rock for the more than 650 images pecked, carved, or incised in the boulders below. This unique site is part of a larger . . . Map (db m269681) HM
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54 Arizona, Cochise County, Hereford — Lehner Mammoth Kill Site
At this location in 1952, a large bone bed was discovered containing the remains of extinct mammoth, tapir, bison and horse. Found with the bones were the weapons and tools of the Indians who had killed and butchered these animals. The bones and . . . Map (db m43633) HM
55 Arizona, Coconino County, Cameron — Ancient Landscapes
Eight hundred years ago, a savannah-like grassland covered much of this high desert with abundant grasses. The residents would have collected and burned much of the nearby fuel, necessitating long walks to adjacent areas to gather wood. Sparse . . . Map (db m60105) HM
56 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — A Gathering Place
]Panel 1:] Between 1100 and 1200, more people lived in this area than ever before, or since. Located along routes linking large populations to the northeast and south, villages here were well situated for trade. As people, goods, and ideas . . . Map (db m60079) HM
57 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — A Legacy of the Past
Box Canyon and Lomaki ruins are a short 15-minute walk from here, along the edges of ancient earthcracks. The 1/4-mile trail will take you back in time over 800 years to the remnants of this once-thriving community. You will see the few native . . . Map (db m60114) HM
58 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — A Village/Abandonment
A Village You are entering the “Citadel,” a ruin from the late 1100s. Research has not been completed so it is important that we leave things as they are. Will there be extra storage spaces found, possible evidence for the . . . Map (db m60089) HM
59 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — Box Canyon Ruins
The Box Canyon ruins are typical of many pueblos found in this region. Early inhabitants constructed walls of nearby sandstone and limestone, and used local soils to cement the stones together. The flat roofs were built of timbers laid side-by-side, . . . Map (db m60094) HM
60 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — Community
This area seems quiet and lonely today - but not 800 years ago. This valley was used for farming and hunting by the people living in Citadel, Nalakihu, and other nearby pueblos, all inhabited at about the same time. (You can see the ruins of at . . . Map (db m41716) HM
61 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — Daily Life
Plaza An open area in the pueblo near the rim of the earthcrack is known as the plaza. In pueblos, the plaza was the center for many daily activities including grinding corn, making pottery, working obsidian into arrowheads, processing other . . . Map (db m60110) HM
62 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — Dry Land Farming
Volcanic activity to the south produced giant fissures or earthcracks throughout the Wupatki area in the Kaibab Limestone. This formation covers most of the western half of Wupatki National Monument. The Sinagua and Anasazi Indians who inhabited . . . Map (db m60098) HM
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63 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — Nalakihu
Nalakihu - A modern Hopi name, "House Outside the Village" Farmers lived here about 800 years ago. (Roof beams gave tree ring dates in the late 1100s.) The way the walls join show this small pueblo was not built all at once, but was added onto. . . . Map (db m41713) HM
64 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — Sunset Crater Volcano
The distant San Francisco Peaks would have looked much like they do today. To the east, however, Sunset Crater Volcano would still have been belching black smoke and cinders when the Sinagua and Anasazi lived here. The thick layer of cinders over . . . Map (db m60107) HM
65 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — The Ballcourt — A Mexican Idea at Wupatki
Ballcourts were common in southern Arizona from A.D. 750 to 1200, but relatively rare here in the northern part of the state. This suggests that the people of Wupatki intermingled with their southern Arizona neighbors - the Hohokam - who may have . . . Map (db m41696) HM
66 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — The Blowhole
This blowhole - a crevice in the earth's crust that appears to breathe - is one of several found in the Wupatki area. It connects to an underground passage - size, depth, and complexity unknown - called an earthcrack. Earthcracks resulted from . . . Map (db m41701) HM
67 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — The Citadel / Natural Features
The Citadel It was a remarkable achievement, to use primitive mortar and local stones to build the walls above you straight up from the edge of the top of the rock. “The Citadel” is the modern name given to this ruin because . . . Map (db m60087) HM
68 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — Where Were The Fields?
Farming then did not mean vast fields like we use today. Anasazi and Sinagua people modified these small terraces to grow hand-tended corn, cotton, beans, and squash. We know the climate was about what it is now, very dry for farming. The terraces . . . Map (db m41715) HM
69 Arizona, Coconino County, Flagstaff — Wukoki
Wukoki, a modern Hopi word for “Big House” was once home for two or three prehistoric Indian families. The inhabitants are believed to have been of the Kayenta Anasazi culture, judging from the types of artifacts found during excavation . . . Map (db m60078) HM
70 Arizona, Coconino County, Grand Canyon National Park — Delta Farmers — Grand Canyon — National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
One thousand years ago, wood smoke curled up from a farming village on the riverside delta below you, named Unkar Delta. Many such villages have dotted Grand Canyon's bottomlands since ancient times. Corn, beans, squash, and cotton grew between . . . Map (db m250578) HM
71 Arizona, Coconino County, Grand Canyon National Park — Tusayan Museum and Ruin
Cohonina and ancestral Pueblo (Kayenta Anasazi) people lived in this area in prehistoric time. The ancestral Puebloans built Tusayan about AD 1185. A visit to the museum and a short walk through the remains of the village will furnish a glimpse of . . . Map (db m39631) HM
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72 Arizona, Coconino County, Grand Canyon National Park — Tusayan Ruin Trail
Allow about 30 minutes to tour Tusayan Ruin. The 0.1 mile loop trail through the main ruin is paved and wheelchair-accessible; the side loop to a prehistoric farming site is not. Signs along the way explain the site's features. An interpretive . . . Map (db m39633) HM
73 Arizona, Coconino County, North Rim — Summer Home — Grand Canyon National Park
Built more than 900 years before the Grand Canyon Lodge, the foundations of this small, two-room dwelling provide a glimpse of the kinds of lodging used by ancestral Puebloan farmers of the North Rim. These native farmers built field houses like . . . Map (db m163577) HM
74 Arizona, Coconino County, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument — "The Peaks"
They dominate the horizon, rising 12,633 feet (3851 m) to Arizona's highest point. Visible for miles from all directions, they stand guard over a land which has long sustained people in spirit and natural resources. All of the region's Native . . . Map (db m41664) HM
75 Arizona, Coconino County, Walnut Canyon National Monument — A Community Sharing the Land
This was a community of relatives and neighbors. Its members worked together to haul water, hunt animals, and gather plants. They likely assisted each other with large fields on the rims. They shared walls and resources, joy and sorrow, success . . . Map (db m61366) HM
76 Arizona, Coconino County, Walnut Canyon National Monument — A Days Work
Puebloan traditions reach far back in time and are the basis for the social organization portrayed here. What responsibilities might you have had in this community, given your age and gender? [Captions:] Hopi men plant and . . . Map (db m61350) HM
77 Arizona, Coconino County, Walnut Canyon National Monument — An Efficient Design
Overhanging ledges protected rooms from snow and rain, and shaded them during summer months. Thick walls of stone and mud insulated them from harsh winds and retained essential heat in winter. Small doors were covered with animal skins, mats, . . . Map (db m61365) HM
78 Arizona, Coconino County, Walnut Canyon National Monument — Departure
Despite all it had to offer, in time Walnut Canyon became a difficult place for farmers to live. Drier, colder conditions meant crop failures. More people and diminished resources meant nutritional stress, disease, and conflict. However, these . . . Map (db m61370) HM
79 Arizona, Coconino County, Walnut Canyon National Monument — Problem Solving
Time has worn away details that once made these rooms complete. Still, bits of evidence tell us people devised ways to make their homes comfortable, durable, and suitable for changing circumstances. Rooms were added as families grew or storage . . . Map (db m61341) HM
80 Arizona, Coconino County, Walnut Canyon National Monument — Room Functions
Most rooms in this community did not house people. Archeologists think many rooms, like the one to your left, were used to store tools, food, and water. Residents could have stored a 100-day water supply without much difficulty, given large . . . Map (db m61347) HM
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81 Arizona, Coconino County, Walnut Canyon National Monument — The Perfect Shelter
For each room tucked into this rock alcove, nature provided the back wall, floor, and leak-proof ceiling; no excavation was needed. Builders simply laid up unshaped blocks of limestone for side walls, enclosed the front, and opened their doorway . . . Map (db m61340) HM
82 Arizona, Coconino County, Walnut Canyon National Monument — What Happened Here?
"It is very dusty work to dig for relics....We dug for an hour or more, and found...cornstalks, corncobs in abundance, beans, gourds, nuts, reeds, arrows, bowstrings,...coarse cloth, a child's sandal, a measuring stick with notches at regular . . . Map (db m61368) HM
83 Arizona, Maricopa County, Mesa — Prehistoric Irrigation in the Salt River Valley
Approximately 300 B.C. Prehistoric Indians entered the Salt River Valley. They developed an extensive canal system and raised corn, beans, squash, agave and cotton. Over 500 miles of Hohokam canal have been recorded in the Salt River . . . Map (db m49877) HM
84 Arizona, Mohave County, Hoover Dam — The First People
The Native American cultures of the Southwest are as diverse as they are ancient; many of their unique traditions have been practiced for thousands of years. Most of the Indian tribes of the Southwest were displaced from their homeland by . . . Map (db m254653) HM
85 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Big Sagebrush — Artemisia tridentata
It is not known if the prehistoric Indians of the canyons used this plant, but both Navajos and Hopis make medicine from it, to cure stomach-ache. The Navajos use it to cure colds and headache.Map (db m144404) HM
86 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Broadleaf Yucca — Yucca baccata
As with the narrowleaf yucca, all parts of this plant provided something for the Indians. They ate the fruit, and shredded and twisted the leaves into cord and rope. Soap comes from the crushed roots and is used as a shampoo in Navajo and Hopi . . . Map (db m144395) HM
87 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Douglas Fir — Pseudotsuga taxifolia
Generations of Hopis have long travelled far from their arid, mesa-top homes to collect fir boughs and branches. Navajos also traded cut boughs to the Hopis in exchange for corn. Each culture requires fir neck-wreaths for the dancers of certain . . . Map (db m144406) HM
88 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Gambel Oak — Quercus gambelii
The most common oak in Navajoland has a hard, durable wood, which is still used for ax handles, weaving battens, and cradleboard hoops. The leafy branches are favored for shade ramadas in the summer. Solutions of root bark are used to dye wool and . . . Map (db m144405) HM
89 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Hogan — Navajo National Monument
The Navajo Indians resourcefully met the demands of desert dwelling when they came up with this comfortable and sturdy forked-stick hogan — so called because its chief structural support is made up of three poles with their forked ends . . . Map (db m144378) HM
90 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Indian Rice Grass — Stipa hymenoides
When protected from overgrazing, this bunchgrass thrives on the high desert. It was once a nutritious food source for the Hopi Indians. While Navajos also depended on rice grass, other foods that were easier to prepare eventually replaced it. . . . Map (db m144391) HM
91 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Into The Memory — Navajo National Monument
Who Was Here? Descendants of the Hopi people who built this place call it Talastima, a Hopi word for "Place of the Blue Corn Tassels." They call their ancient relatives “Hisatsinom.” Zuni, also pueblo builders, know . . . Map (db m144402) HM
92 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Pinyon Pine — Pinus edulis
The nut of this little tree, eaten raw or roasted, is a favorite wild food of the Southwestern Indians. Prehistoric Indians used the pitch to fasten stone arrowheads and knives to wooden shafts and handles, and to repair broken pots. Navajos made . . . Map (db m144399) HM
93 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Prehistoric Pioneers — Navajo National Monument
This Is The Place The Ancestral Puebloans often chose south-facing alcoves like this one for their cliff villages; here are all the basic necessities of life. Benefits of winter sun and summer shade, shelter from the elements, and springwater . . . Map (db m144400) HM
94 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Rabbit Brush — Chrysothamnus nauseosus
Hopi Indians burn rabbit brush kindling with three other wood fuels in their ceremonial kivas. Slender, flexible stems are woven into basketry. Green dye comes from the inner bark, while early autumn flowers yield a yellow dye. The Hopis once . . . Map (db m144448) HM
95 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Sandal Trail — Navajo National Monument
Follow the easy one-mile (1.6 km) round-trip trail to a point overlooking Betatakin Ruin—multi-level cliff-village home to a community of 13th-century Anasazi farmers. On the way there and back, you’ll be walking through pygmy . . . Map (db m71519) HM
96 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Serviceberry — Amelanchier utahensis
Serviceberry is one of the enduring "life medicines" of the Navajos, which insure their survival, health, and harmony. It is gathered to treat nausea, stomach problems, animal bites, and recovery from childbirth. It is also valued as a medicine in . . . Map (db m144449) HM
97 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Sweathouse — Navajo National Monument
This miniature forked-stick hogan without a smoke hole is actually a highly effective bath — an ancient solution to the problem of keeping clean in a land where water is scarce. Here’s how it works: Stones are heated in a fire, then . . . Map (db m71517) HM
98 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — The Pygmy Conifer Forest - An Indian Store
This trail leads through vegetation typical of the plateaus of northern Arizona. Although the trees are small, they make up a true forest – the pinyon pine-juniper forest. The stunted trees and plants here may seem an unlikely source of food, . . . Map (db m144397) HM
99 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Upside-down Mountain — Navajo National Monument
Hidden away in Tsegi Canyon’s wilderness of bare rock, sand, and sparse vegetation are surprising pockets of luxuriant growth. Betatakin Canyon—home to a village of prehistoric cliff-dwellings farmers—is one of these oases. Fir Canyon, . . . Map (db m71514) HM
100 Arizona, Navajo County, Shonto — Utah Juniper — Juniperus osteosperma
This tree had many uses. Many of the roof beams in Betatakin are juniper. Fires were started with juniper fire-drills, the shredded bark was used for tinder, and the wood was used for fuel. The shredded bark also served as diaper pads, was braided . . . Map (db m144396) HM

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Sep. 9, 2026