Arizona National Monuments
Canyon de Chelly
Home to the Ancient Puebloans (Anasazi to the Navajo or
Hisatsinom to the Hopi) for over a thousand years, the early
people found in the canyons the ideal location for building
homes, raising families and planting crops. The pit houses
are evidence of the first settlers, but as large numbers
of people migrated into the canyons, more sophisticated
dwellings were constructed in alcoves to take advantage
of the sunlight and natural protection. Around the mid-1300s,
the puebloans moved to better farmlands and left the canyons.
The Hopi then began to migrate seasonally to the area to
plant peaches, cherries and apricots. The Navajo continue
to live in and use the canyons for farming and raising livestock.
Designation Date: April 1, 1931, by President Herbert Hoover
Questions
- Who were the Anasazi and Hisatsinom?
- Why was Canyon de Chelly a desirable location?
- Why do you think the Hohokom culture decline?
Resources
Canyon
de Chelly National Park Service Site
Environmental
history of the Colorado Plateau - Canyon de Chelly
The
Story of Spider Rock
Story
of Spider Woman, how the Navajo people learned to weave;
weaving and rugs.
Media
Virtual
Panorama of Spider Rock
Photographs
of Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Canyon
de Chelly: An Intimate Portrait
Educational Activities
Lesson
Plan - Exploring the History of Canyon De Chelly: The Ancient
People
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