Blanding in San Juan County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

A Great House and a Great Kiva

Photographed by James Hulse, March 28, 2025

1. A Great House and a Great Kiva Marker

Inscription.

A Great House and a Great Kiva. . In front of you stands an excavated great house constructed in the mid-1000s common era (CE) and occupied until around 1150 CE. Its builders crafted rectangular rooms with wide masonry walls that supported a building that stood at least two stories tall. Villagers added a kiva on the west side of the great house, perhaps to accommodate an particular family or to facilitate the rituals of one or more important groups in the community., After falling out of use for a few generations, a small group of people moved back into the site around 1215 CE. They built a kiva in one of the rooms on the east side of the great house. These occupants stayed only a few years at most before moving on., Villagers likely built the great kiva at about the same time as the great house. Like the kivas in modern-day pueblos, great kivas were probably gathering places for community leaders and decision-makers. This great kiva at the Edge of the Cedars remains unexcavated. Out of respect to Pueblo descendants, the great kiva will remain undisturbed., Kiva Mix-Up , Many years ago, archaeologists incorrectly used the Hopi term "kiva" to describe individual subterranean family homes. Hopi people use the word "kiva" to refer to their community rooms. Other modern Pueblo communities have their own words for special gathering places., Great Kiva: 70 people could comfortably sit side by side around the perimeter of this room. The space could be filled with many more people during social and ceremonial events., Building at Edge of the Cedars Timeline , Pueblo I Period , Early Village , 850 - Features of the earlier village lie below the great house. , 950 - People did not build or live on the site for the next 100 years., Pueblo II Period , The great house (including great kiva and West Kiva) are built and remodeled. A community of pueblos (homes) surrounds the great house. , Late Village , 1050 - Construction of the great house. For the next 75 years, they built and lived in small pueblo homes surrounding the great house. , 1150 - We do not know why the villagers left or why Edge of the Cedars was uninhabited for the following 60 or more years., Pueblo III Period , The great house is remodeled to accommodate the new East Kiva. , 1215 - People reinhabited Edge of the Cedars. They remodeled the great house and added the East Kiva. These later occupants stayed for only a few years.

In front of you stands an excavated great house constructed in the mid-1000s common era (CE) and occupied until around 1150 CE. Its builders crafted rectangular rooms with wide masonry walls that supported a building that stood at least two stories tall. Villagers added a kiva on the west side of the great house, perhaps to accommodate an particular family or to facilitate the rituals of one or more important groups in the community.

After falling out of use for a few generations, a small group of people moved back into the site around 1215 CE. They built a kiva in one of the rooms on the east side of the great house. These occupants stayed only a few years at most before moving on.

Villagers likely built the great kiva at about the same time as the great house. Like the kivas in modern-day pueblos, great kivas were probably gathering places for community leaders and decision-makers. This great kiva at the Edge of the Cedars remains unexcavated. Out of respect to Pueblo descendants, the great kiva will remain undisturbed.

Kiva Mix-Up
Many years ago, archaeologists incorrectly used the Hopi term "kiva" to describe individual subterranean family homes. Hopi people use the word "kiva" to refer to their community rooms. Other modern Pueblo communities have their own words for special gathering

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places.

Great Kiva: 70 people could comfortably sit side by side around the perimeter of this room. The space could be filled with many more people during social and ceremonial events.

Building at Edge of the Cedars Timeline
Pueblo I Period
Early Village
850 - Features of the earlier village lie below the great house.
950 - People did not build or live on the site for the next 100 years.

Pueblo II Period
The great house (including great kiva and West Kiva) are built and remodeled. A community of pueblos (homes) surrounds the great house.
Late Village
1050 - Construction of the great house. For the next 75 years, they built and lived in small pueblo homes surrounding the great house.
1150 - We do not know why the villagers left or why Edge of the Cedars was uninhabited for the following 60 or more years.

Pueblo III Period
The great house is remodeled to accommodate the new East Kiva.
1215 - People reinhabited Edge of the Cedars. They remodeled the great house and added the East Kiva. These later occupants stayed for only a few years.

Erected by Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:

The Great House and the Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, March 28, 2025

2. The Great House and the Marker

Anthropology & Archaeology • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Parks & Recreational Areas • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 37° 37.874′ N, 109° 29.432′ W. Marker is in Blanding, Utah, in San Juan County. It is at the intersection of West 400 North and 600 W on West 400 North. The marker is located on the grounds of the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 660 W 400 N, Blanding UT 84511, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Canyon Country.

It is also in the American Mountain West,

in Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Living in the Earth: A Look Inside a Kiva (a few steps from this marker); Trade with Far Off Places (within shouting distance of this marker); Drought, Frost, and Migration in the 1200s (within shouting distance of this marker); Leaving the Pieces In Place (within shouting distance of this marker); Explore the Edge Of the Cedars Chacoan Great House Site (within shouting distance of this marker); Exposure and Safe Keeping (within shouting distance of this marker); Can a Sliver of Light Have Meaning?

The Great House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, March 28, 2025

3. The Great House

(within shouting distance of this marker); C.C.C. (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Blanding.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 16, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 171 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 18, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.