These images were taken at Wupatki NM, Tuzigoot NM, Montezuma Castle, Painted Rocks, Casa Grande NM, Tonto NM, V-Bar-V Petroglyph Site, and Walnut Canyon NM. The Sinagua, Hohokam, and Salado primarily resided in this area. These were taken in 2007 and 2008.
Wupatki: Early people started living at Wupatki around 500 AD and built primarily pithouses. It is unknown why people (the northern branch of the Sinagua) started living here since the climate didn't seem very favorable in this high desert environment. Around 1065 a volcanic eruption caused people to move from the area although they came back some time after. A favorable climate occured and the volcanic soil aided survival. The Sinagua were eventually joined by the Anasazi and Cohonina peoples creating a melting pot at Wupatki. The Hohokam and Mogollon people may have come as well.
Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle: Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle were built by the Southern Sinagua culture and reached their heights around 1300. By the early 1400s the Sinagua had abandoned their pueblos for unknown reasons. Main Tuzigoot construction appears to have started around 1000 AD with additional work continuing through the 1300s. Anasazi and Mogollon peoples may have joined them. Montezuma Castle was begun around 1100 AD.
Walnut Canyon: The Sinagua built around 214 sites in the Walnut Canyon area. Many are cliff dwellings.
V-Bar-V Ranch Petroglyph Site: This site contains the best panel of Sinagua rock art in the southwest. It was probably created sometime between AD 1150 and 1400.
Painted Rocks Petroglyph Site: The densly packed petroglyphs on the boulders here were created by the Hohokam people who lived in the Gila Bend region between AD 300 and 1450.
Casa Grande: The Great House located here was built by the Hohokam. It's a remarkable building with a great height and thick walls. No one knows why it was built but some people think it could have been home to rulers or just a storage silo. Recently some people have speculated that it was used as an astronomical observatory. A ball court resides near the area. The Hohokam abandoned the area by 1450 for unknown reasons.
Tonto: This ruin was occupied by the Hohokam and later the Salado peoples.
All images taken with a Digital Rebel XT with various L lenses.
