CLIFF DWELLERS

MOGOLLON
THE MOGOLLON CULTURE LIVED ALONG THE SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO BORDERS. THEY WERE DESCENDANTS FROM THE COCHISE CULTURE. THEY WERE THE FIRST TO FARM AND BUILD HOUSES, AND MADE POTTERY. THEIR CULTURE THRIVED FROM 300 BC TO AD 1300. THEY HAD CROPS NATURALLY IRRIGATED SUCH AS CORN, BEANS,, SQUASH, TOBACCO, AND COTTON. THEIR HOUSES WERE DESIGNED TO HAVE SEMI SUBTERRANEAN PITS WITH LOGS AND REEDS TO SUPPORT A MUD ROOF. THEY BUILT UNDERGROUND KIVAS AS THEIR CEREMONIAL CENTER. THEIR FIRST POTTERY TYPE WAS BROWN. IT WAS MADE COIL AND SCRAPE AND BAKED IT IN AN OUTDOOR OVEN. LATER IN HISTORY THEY PAINTED IT WITH INTRICATE NATURAL AND ANIMAL DESIGNS. THE MIMBRES IS A SUBGROUP OF THE MOGOLLON WHO PAINTED BEAUTIFUL BLACK ON WHITE POTTERY DURING ABOUT AD 900. THEY WOVE THEIR OWN CLOTHING.

ANASAZI
THIS CULTURE EXISTED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME FROM ABOUT 100 BC TO AD 1300. THEY WERE LOCATED IN THIS NORTHERN AREA OF THE FOUR CORNERS.THEY WERE THE MOST WIDESPREAD OF THE CLIFF DWELLERS. THEIR BASKET MAKER PHASE PERIOD WAS FROM ABOUT 100 BC TO AD 750. THE ANASAZI MASTERED THE TECHNOLOGY OF FARMING, MAKING BASKETS AND WORKING CLAY INTO POTS. THIS GROUP LIVED IN PIT HOUSES LIKE THE HOHOKAM AND ANASAZI.

THEIR SECOND PHASE IS CALLED THE PUEBLO PERIOD WHICH WAS AFTER ABOUT 750 AD. THEY BUILT ABOVE GROUND STRUCTURES OF ADOBE CALLED PUEBLOS AND ALSO BUILT UNDERGROUND CEREMONIAL STRUCTURES CALLED KIVAS. THEY GROUPED THEIR ROOMS TOGETHER AND ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER AND INTERCONNECTED THEM WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS AND LADDERS CALLED CLIFF DWELLINGS. THEY HAVE BEEN PRESERVED AND RESTORED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INTO PARKS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. SOME OF THEIR VILLAGES WERE BUILT ON TOP OF MESAS.

SOME OF THE MORE FAMOUS ARE CALLED CLIFF PALACE IN MESA VERDE AND MUMMY CAVE IN CANYON DE CHELLY. THEY DIVERTED CREEK WATER TO IRRIGATE THEIR FARMS AND SUPPORT LARGE VILLAGES. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHY THEY MOVED AWAY. HOWEVER, IN THE LATE 1200S A PROLONGED DROUGHT HIT THE ENTIRE SOUTHWEST. THEY HAD TO BECOME GROUPS OF HUNTERS AND GATHERERS. OR THEY MAY HAVE BEEN ATTACKED BY NEIGHBORING TRIBES. THEY MAY HAVE LEFT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF AVAILABLE WOOD.

I REMEMBER MESA VERDE TRAVELS AS A TEENAGER AND I WAS AMAZED AT THE ARCHITECTURE AND ALL THE INDIAN POTTERY THAT THEY HAD DON DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUMS. OUR FAMILY TOOK MANY MOVIES OF THESE RUINS AS WE TOURED THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME.

MOST OF THESE SOUTHWESTERN INDIANS REMAIN TO BE FARMERS AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THE PUEBLOS. VISITING THESE RUINS IS A POWERFUL AND DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE.

FREDERICK HOXIE