There were actually several different (though related) groups of ancient Indians that left pueblo and cliff dwelling ruins in the Four Corners area on into southern Arizona and New Mexico. Many of their cultural traits such as their architecture can be seen all around, from the Hopis to the Rio Grande peoples. By the time of the arrival of Coronado in 1540, the Anasazi all but disappeared. By the time of the Anasazi's cultural peak, they were by far the most extensive and influential of the other three cultures in the southwest.Īround 1300 the Anasazis started to abandon the cities and move elsewhere, most likely because of the extended drought between 12. For 500 years the pueblo architecture became the standard dwelling form. Pit houses were being replaced by above ground structures, the pueblo. If he could accurately predict the seasons and the coming of the rains, he then could assure the survival of the community with a fruitful harvest (see skywatchers).īy 700 A.D. The shaman or high priest had this responsibility. Understanding the seasons and the influence of the Sun became necessary. The need to predict the unpredictable rains showers of the monsoon seasons became critical for survival. Large villages started to be formed and with that the need of agriculture became increasingly important. Maize (corn), beans, squash and cotton became a reliable food source. Sometime between the first and second century the first signs of the Anasazi culture became visible as the Anasazi emerged from the hunter-foragers to agriculturists.Īround 500 A.D., three major changes revolutionized their lives the bow and arrow, pottery and the permanent pit house. The roots of the Anasazi are not clear, but in theory have grown out of the northern Archaic group of hunters and foragers. The Anasazi have been determined to be direct descendants of the Hopi. A different climate and more reliable water sources offered hope of a better life.Īnasazi is a Navajo word meaning "ancient people who are not us". Environmental hardships in the Northern San Juan region probably made these areas in Arizona and New Mexico more attractive. The Hopi people of Arizona believe some of their clans came from the north. The Rio Grande pueblos and the pueblos of Acoma, Laguna and Zuni grew in numbers after AD 1300, perhaps including people from this region. For instance, evidence exists for population growth around the Homolovi area in Arizona, near Winslow. While the Northern San Juan settlements declined, other areas began to develop and grow. The movement was not as sudden as previously thought. In southwestern Colorado, some areas were gradually abandoned over many generations. Archaeologists also see evidence of social changes over time, changes perhaps related to internal pressures or to outside competition from non-Pueblo groups. When crops consistently failed, the people moved away or became more dependent on hunting and gathering. The Ancestral Puebloans may have reached the limit of the natural resources available to them. Some use of the area continued, such as at Escalante Pueblo, during the 1100s. Families began leaving the Dolores area to pursue agriculture and community life elsewhere. ![]() Frequent droughts and killing frosts made farming unreliable. The number of households, hamlets and villages increased as the population grew.Įnvironmental conditions began to change around AD 900. ![]() The settlements were heavily populated between AD 600 and 900 when conditions were most favorable for agriculture. Research shows that people began settling the Dolores area in small numbers around AD 500. But by AD 1300 they had left the entire region. ![]() Their own languages do not share a common name for them, so the term "Ancestral Puebloans" is currently used when speaking English.įor hundreds of years, the first farmers were quite successful in the Four Corners area. We recognize several distinct branches of the culture, including Northern San Juan, Chaco, Kayenta, Virgin, and Rio Grande.Īnasazi is a Navajo word meaning "the ancient ones" or "the ancient enemies." Modern Pueblo people object to that name in reference to their ancestors. Regional differences developed as communities adapted to their surroundings in slightly different ways. As the population grew and spread out, communities exchanged goods through an elaborate trade network. Their architectural achievements included cliff dwellings and pueblos (apartment-house style villages). They settled and farmed in the Four Corners region between about AD 1 and AD 1300, producing fine baskets, pottery, cloth, ornaments and tools. They are the ancestors of modern Pueblo Indians now living in New Mexico and Arizona. Anasazi-Pueblo People of Southwest Arizona
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