Tuzigoot National Monument – When archaeologist found this site, the pueblo was largely in ruins and buried under an accumulation of dirt. What visitors see today is a reconstruction of the walls from the material at the site. The pueblo at its tallest stands three stories and comprises 110 rooms that were built in stages from 1125 to 1400 CE.
Tuzigoot is one of many cliff dwellings, and pueblos constructed by the Sinagua, a group of Native Americans that inhabited the Verde River Valley and areas around Sedona between approximately 500-1400 CE.
Tuzigoot also shares a sister site, called Montezuma’s Castle, a 30 minute drive to the northwest
Websites:
Virtual Tour: Northern Arizona University
Verde Valley Archaeology Center
A Good Place to Live for more than 12,000 Years – Archaeology Southwest Magazine
Photo Gallery
- A view of the multi-story section of the reconstructed ruin.
Tuzigoot National Monument Ruins
2. A view from the top floor of the previous image.
Tuzigoot National Monument Ruins
3. Another view from the side of the multi-story section
Tuzigoot National Monument Ruins
4. A view from an interior room of the reconstructed ruin, showing the design and building materials used in constructing the roof and floor.
Tuzigoot National Monument Interior Room
Pottery found during excavations at the site. The pottery style is known as “Tuzigoot Red”. It was a style common to the Verde Valley, and examples have been found that date from 1150-1400 A.D. Check out this website for more details.
Tuzigoot National Monument Pottery
See more images from the Colorado River watershed.
Suggested Reading:
Archaeology of the Southwest – Linda S Cordell, Maxine McBrinn
Ancient Peoples of the American Southwest – Stephen Plog
Related Posts:
A Grand Tour of Arizona’s Past Cultures and Ancient Ruins