Only in Your State | New Mexico | Original Article Written on November 07, 2019 by Monica Spencer
The American Southwest is full of Native American History, and New Mexico proudly boasts some of it’s own history with many Native tribes that have called (and even still do) the Land of Enchantment home. The history experienced when touring some of our pueblos and homesteads across the state makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
One place in particular that rests among the beautiful land in New Mexico seems older than time itself. In fact, it nearly is! The ancient Aztec Ruins National Monument, located in Aztec, NM, nestled just 15 miles northeast of Farmington, is approximately 900 years old!
The site was declared “Aztec Ruin National Monument” on January 24, 1923. After a boundary change, “Ruin” was changed to “Ruins” on July 2, 1928. As a historical property of the National Park Service, the monument was administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
The name is a misnomer, however. American settlers who came across this and other similar relics assumed it was part of the Aztec Empire, thus referring to it as Aztec Ruins. The name stuck even though it became evident the ancestors of modern Pueblo people constructed these buildings. The monument is composed of several timeworn buildings dating back to the 1100s and strewn across more than 300 acres.
With little access to the tall grasses and buffalo hides like Native Americans in other parts of the country, the ones residing in New Mexico learned to adapt.
They made their Pueblo dwellings out of dirt, rock and straw, or what many of us know as adobe. The mud and straw mix made sturdy, brick-like material that the dwellers would then stack to form walls of their homes. Gaps between the adobe bricks were then filled with more mud to block the wind and rain. The roofs were created from wood beams, sticks, straw, mud and then plaster, to guarantee a strong seal. The buildings were sealed and sturdy, keeping out pests and bugs, and providing a safe home for many.
The Native people of our state adapted to the conditions of the land, and created structures that have stood the test of time.
The 900 year old buildings, now open to the public for exploration, may have crumbled over the years, but the walls are still standing, which proves the structural intellect of those who called it home. Our modern day construction can even be attributed to the knowledge the Pueblo people shared.
At Aztec Ruins National Monument, the main attraction many tourists like to visit is the West Ruins, a 400-room structure that is estimated to have stood three-stories tall and housed upwards of 300 people!
Talk about a big family home right?
The ancient Puebloans built their buildings close in proximity to the Animas river, in order to provide water to sustain life there.
The structure itself is in immaculate shape for being 900 years old. Obviously some structures have been degraded over time, but walls to rooms, with hand formed bricks are still standing, and you can even see places where fingerprints from the brick-makers handiwork are present and haven’t been eroded away.
Within the ruin sits several kivas, which are subterranean rooms used by ancient and modern Puebloans for religious and political meetings.
The largest at Aztec Ruins is simply referred to as the Great Kiva.
The kiva was reconstructed by archaeologists and measures 40 feet in diameter. The rebuild made the Great Kiva at Aztec Ruins National Monument the largest fully restored kiva in the United States.
Today, visitors are allowed to walk down into the kiva to get a glimpse of what the experience may have been like to be sitting among the religious leaders of the tribe who once had meetings there.
Unlike most major ancestral Puebloan ruins, Aztec Ruins is exceptionally convenient to visitors: it’s within the city limits of Aztec.
The monument is open daily and hours vary based on the season. As of May 1, 2018, the $5 admission fee per person is no longer charged. Entrance into the Aztec Ruins National Park is now Free!
Today you can follow their ancient passageways to a distant time through a self-guided tour that is approximately 45 minutes long. You can find details about hours, special events and more by visiting the National Park Website or their Facebook page.
Address: 725 Ruins Rd, Aztec, NM 87410
Website: National Parks Website
Phone: (505) 334-6174
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_Ruins_National_Monument
http://www.aztecnm.com/aztec/ruins.html
https://texasbeyondhistory.net/kids/houses/pueblos.html
