Indian Ruins

Guest - Nov 04, 2006 10:42 PM EDT
Very cool! Pretty shot too! Looks like a great place to explore. Nice! Don

Guest - Nov 04, 2006 10:08 PM EDT
Thanks, Vicki. There are many many ruins in this state. Some are not even protected. We have some friends who have a large place on the back side of the Superstition Mountains (200 or 300 acres, I think). There is an interesting ruin on their property, but it is much smaller than Tuzigoot.

Guest - Nov 04, 2006 10:00 PM EDT
Hey there, Gary - haven't seen your work for awhile. This is an intriguing ruin - one I'm not familiar with. Thanks for sharing. Add that one to my ever-growing list of places to visit!

Guest - Nov 04, 2006 05:54 PM EDT
Thanks all. Actually, the Indians abandoned most locations all across what is now the Southwestern United States. This was sometime around or before 1400 A.D. This includes abandonment of Mesa Verde and thousands of other sites. There are theories as to why, but I don't think anyone has come up with a definitive answer as yet. As to the location of the Tuzigoot (a Navajo word, meaning "crooked water") site, the location is virtually ideal. The elevation is such that the winters are mild and the summers are quite warm, but not overwhelming (such as it is down where we live). Also, the Verde River runs nearby and there was (and still is) a very large marsh, which provided game birds, fish and animals, plus basic materials, such as reeds. There are now a couple of towns close by, Clarkdale and Cottonwood. Also, Jerome is only about 5 miles away. I would very much like to live in that area myself. Perhaps Marsha and I will move up there some day.

Guest - Nov 04, 2006 05:04 PM EDT
WOW!! great shot gary,I think they left because its just too hot and dry there.lol

Guest - Nov 04, 2006 11:03 AM EDT
Very interesting Gary,I wonder why they left too. Carol

Guest - Nov 04, 2006 02:36 AM EDT
very interesting, Gary. am going to check google to read more about this.