Elden Pueblo
Encyclopedia
Elden Pueblo was a prehistoric Native American
village located at the foot of Mount Elden
near Winona, Arizona
. Conveniently located on U.S. Highway 89 north, Elden Pueblo is thought to have been part of a major trading system. Various trade items such as macaw skeletons from Mexico as well as shell jewelry from the coast of California have been found throughout the site. The area is now protected and is used for research and educational purposes.
peoples from approximately AD.1070 to 1275. It is believed that the site was home to 200-300 people within 60-70 rooms. Aside from the structures constructed of compacted stones, a burial mound was discovered near the site. Two individual burials were found under the site. There is some controversy about the burial mound; some say the mound is simply a dirt pile from the nearby Fewkes' excavation. Ruins from another structure were also found underneath the mound which also leads to questions its authenticity.
Archeological studies have uncovered information regarding architectural design and the social hierarchy of the Sinagua people.. Social hierarchy can be deduced from the variations in burial techniques as well as the decorative features of the grave.
During an excavation in 1928, archaeologists found a fifty-three pound meteorite that was carefully buried inside a specially designed, man-made, stone compartment in an Elden Pueblo room. However, during the excavation, the meteorite shattered to pieces during an attempt to move it. Most likely, the meteorite was considered a sacred object due to its dressing and the manner in which it was buried. The significance of the meteorite in the Sinagua culture remains a mystery.
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
village located at the foot of Mount Elden
Mount Elden
Mount Elden, or Elden Mountain, is located in central Coconino County northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. It takes its name from one of the region's earliest Anglo settlers, John Elden, who, along with his family, established a homestead on the mountain’s lower slopes and grazed sheep on the open...
near Winona, Arizona
Winona, Arizona
Winona is a small unincorporated community in Coconino County in the northern part of the U.S. state of Arizona.It is located along U.S. Route 66 and was made famous in the song " Route 66"...
. Conveniently located on U.S. Highway 89 north, Elden Pueblo is thought to have been part of a major trading system. Various trade items such as macaw skeletons from Mexico as well as shell jewelry from the coast of California have been found throughout the site. The area is now protected and is used for research and educational purposes.
History
The area was settled by the SinaguaSinagua
The Sinagua were a pre-Columbian cultural group occupying an area in central Arizona between the Little Colorado River and the Salt River including the Verde Valley and significant portions of the Mogollon Rim country between approximately 500 AD and 1425 AD.Early Sinagua sites consist of pit houses...
peoples from approximately AD.1070 to 1275. It is believed that the site was home to 200-300 people within 60-70 rooms. Aside from the structures constructed of compacted stones, a burial mound was discovered near the site. Two individual burials were found under the site. There is some controversy about the burial mound; some say the mound is simply a dirt pile from the nearby Fewkes' excavation. Ruins from another structure were also found underneath the mound which also leads to questions its authenticity.
Archeological studies have uncovered information regarding architectural design and the social hierarchy of the Sinagua people.. Social hierarchy can be deduced from the variations in burial techniques as well as the decorative features of the grave.
During an excavation in 1928, archaeologists found a fifty-three pound meteorite that was carefully buried inside a specially designed, man-made, stone compartment in an Elden Pueblo room. However, during the excavation, the meteorite shattered to pieces during an attempt to move it. Most likely, the meteorite was considered a sacred object due to its dressing and the manner in which it was buried. The significance of the meteorite in the Sinagua culture remains a mystery.
External links
- Interactive Dig, Elden Pueblo at Archaeology (magazine)Archaeology (magazine)Archaeology is a bimonthly mainstream magazine about archaeology, published by the Archaeological Institute of America. Its focus is both for archaeologists and non-specialists alike. The magazine was launched in 1948, and is published six times a year....