Bernalillo in Sandoval County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)
The Pueblo of Kuau
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
1. The Pueblo of Kuau Marker
The Pueblo of Kuau was excavated by archaeologists in the 1930's. The kiva in front of you was reconstructed on the original foundations of a kiva found here during the excavations.Entrance to the kiva is by a ladder through a hatchway in the roof. The ladder reaches the floor in front of a fire pit, behind which the altar is located. In addition to its ceremonial function, the altar served to deflect air entering the kiva by means of the ventilating shaft in the vicinity of the fire pit.
En los años del 1930 se efectuaron excavaciones arqueológicas en el pueblo de Kuaua. La kiva que se ve al frente fué reconstruída sobre los cimientos originales de otra que se descubrió aquí durante las excavaciones.
La entrada a la kiva es por una escalera de mano y a través de una escotilla en el techo. La escalera llega al suelo enfrente de un hoyo en el que se prendía el fuego, detrás del cual queda el altar. Además de sus funciones ceremoniales, el altar servía para desviar de las cercanías del fuego el aire que entraba a la kiva por un ducto o túnel de ventilación
Topics. This historical marker
this page online
Location. 35° 19.804′ N, 106° 33.455′ W. Marker is in Bernalillo, New Mexico, in Sandoval County. It is on Kuaua Road half a mile east of U.S. 550. The marker is located in the Kuaua Ruins (Coronado Historic Site). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 485 Kuaua Rd, Bernalillo NM 87004, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the San Juan Basin and in Greater Albuquerque. It is also in the American Southwest 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 the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Kivas (a few steps from this marker); Experimental Archaeology / Arqueología Experimental (within shouting distance of this marker); Pedro de Castañeda (within shouting distance of this marker); The Plazas / Las Plazas (within shouting distance of this marker); Grind the Meal (within shouting distance of this marker); Central Plaza (within shouting distance of this marker); Pueblo (within shouting distance of this marker); Archaeological excavations / Excavaciones arqueológicas (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bernalillo.
More about this marker. There is a small fee to visit the Kuaua
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
2. The Pueblo of Kuau Marker (right side)
Also see . . .
1. Coronado Historic Site. New Mexico Historic Sites
Coronado Historic Site and the ancient Kuaua Pueblo are located just minutes north of Albuquerque (off of I-25, Exit 242) in Bernalillo. In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado—with 500 soldiers and 2,000 Indigenous allies from New Spain—entered the Rio Grande valley somewhere near this site. Coronado was searching for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold.(Submitted on May 26, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
2. Kiva. Wikipedia
A kiva is a space used by Puebloans for rites and political meetings, many of them associated with the kachina belief system. Among the modern Hopi and most other Pueblo peoples, "kiva" means a large room that is circular and underground, and used for spiritual ceremonies and a place of worship.(Submitted on May 27, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
3. The Reconstructed Painted Kiva
Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 117 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 27, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
