Montezuma Castle National Monument in Yavapai County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Macaw Pen Stone?
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., November 7, 2010
1. Macaw Pen Stone? Marker
Where Did This Stone Come From?
Who Used It?
Why Is This Stone at Montezuma Castle?
Did the Ancient Sinaguans Possibly
Raise Macaws Here?
In the 15th century, near modern-day Casa Grande in northern Mexico, thrived a vibrant community and trading center called Paquime. There, tropical birds called macaws, were brought up from the jungles far to the south. Thousands of macaws were bred and raised in compact adobe boxes that outlined one of the plazas. Disk-shaped rocks with circular openings were placed at the front of each of these macaw pens.
Because we do not know where this stone came from, we will never be able to answer these questions. When you remove artifacts from their original place valuable information is lost forever. The artifact looses its meaning and becomes simply an object. Please leave artifacts exactly as you find them.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Anthropology & Archaeology • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 34° 36.71′ N, 111°
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Welcome to The Castle (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Community (about 400 feet away); The Way Up / Construction Sequence (about 600 feet away); The Neighborhood / Mysterious Departures (about 700 feet away); The People Next Door (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lifeline / Prehistoric Produce (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pecan Lane Rural Historic Landscape (approx. 2.7 miles away); Chaves Historic Trail (approx. 2.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Montezuma Castle National Monument.
Also see . . . Montezuma Castle National Monument. (Submitted on March 14, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By Regan Choi, undated
2. Photo on Macaw Pen Stone? Marker
[Caption reads] Fifteenth-century macaw pens missing their roofs in a plaza at Paquime.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., November 7, 2010
3. Macaw Pen Stones and Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., November 7, 2010
4. Macaw Pen Stones?
Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 14, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,137 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 14, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
