Terrain and resources within this large region vary greatly. Major Ancestral Puebloan sites in the Four Corners area Structures and other evidence of Ancestral Puebloan culture have been found extending east onto the American Great Plains, in areas near the Cimarron and Pecos Rivers and in the Galisteo Basin. The Ancestral Puebloan homeland centers on the Colorado Plateau, but extends from central New Mexico on the east to southern Nevada on the west.Īreas of southern Nevada, Utah, and Colorado form a loose northern boundary, while the southern edge is defined by the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers in Arizona and the Rio Puerco and Rio Grande in New Mexico. In relation to neighboring cultures, the Ancestral Puebloans occupied the northeast quadrant of the area. The others are the Mogollon, Hohokam, and Patayan. The Ancestral Puebloans were one of four major prehistoric archaeological traditions recognized in the American Southwest, also known as Oasisamerica. Geography Map of Ancestral Pueblo and neighboring cultures: Hohokam and Mogollon Hopi people use the term Hisatsinom, meaning 'ancient people', to describe the Ancestral Puebloans. Ana = 'different from us' + asaza = 'the old ones'). The Navajo now use the term in the sense of referring to 'ancient people' or 'ancient ones', whereas others ascribe the meaning of Anasazi to 'those who are different from our people' (lit. The Navajo people, who now reside in parts of former Pueblo territory, referred to the ancient people as Anaasází, an exonym meaning 'ancestors of our enemies', referring to their competition with the Pueblo peoples. Pueblo, which means 'village' and 'people' in Spanish, was a term originating with the Spanish explorers who used it to refer to the people's particular style of dwelling. Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in the United States are credited to the Pueblos: Mesa Verde National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Taos Pueblo. Beginning with the earliest explorations and excavations, researchers identified Ancestral Puebloans as the forerunners of contemporary Pueblo peoples although specific site to modern group connections are unclear. The current agreement, based on terminology defined by the Pecos Classification, suggests their emergence around the 12th century BC, during the archaeologically designated Early Basketmaker II Era. The kiva, a congregational space that was used mostly for ceremonies, was an integral part of the community structure.Īrchaeologists continue to debate when this distinct culture emerged. They held a distinct knowledge of celestial sciences that found form in their architecture. They had a complex network linking hundreds of communities and population centers across the Colorado Plateau.

The Ancestral Puebloans lived in a range of structures that included small family pit houses, larger structures to house clans, grand pueblos, and cliff-sited dwellings for defense. Contemporary Puebloans object to the use of this term, with some viewing it as derogatory. The people and their archaeological culture are often referred to as Anasazi, meaning 'ancient enemies', as they were called by Navajo. They are believed to have developed, at least in part, from the Oshara tradition, which developed from the Picosa culture. The Ancestral Puebloans, also known as the Anasazi, were an ancient Native American culture that spanned the present-day Four Corners region of the United States, comprising southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southwestern Colorado.

For other uses, see Anasazi (disambiguation).Ĭliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park White House Ruins, Canyon de Chelly National Monument Horseshoe Tower in the snow, Hovenweep National Monument

Hohokam arrowhead