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Gila Cliff Dwellings

The Mogollon - An Overview The Mogollon [moh-guh-YOHN] flourished in present day southeastern Arizona as well as southwestern New Mexico from about 500 CE until 1200 CE. The Mogollon at first lived in small village-type settlements consisting of five to twelve pit houses. The Mogollon began to build one-story pueblos towards the end of their Southwest occupation. The Mogollon are known for their pottery. The pottery was mainly decorated with a black-on-white pattern as well as red-on-white and red-on-brown. The pottery of the Mimbres people [a culture within the Mogollon or closely related to the Mogollon] produced some of the finest pottery in all of the Americas and their work is the highlight of many Museum exhibitions. From approx. 1000 - 1200 CE, Mimbres pottery was being produced in great numbers. The abstract plant, animal, and human designs on the pottery were the indicator of the Mimbres culture.

Gila Cliff Dwellings - Home of the Mogollon Gila is pronounced [hee-la]. The site is within five natural caves on the side of a sandstone bluff that look out towards the Gila River surrounded by the Gila National Forest. Constructed and used from 1170 - 1350 CE. Five natural caves used as framework for Mogollon dwellings. It takes around 40 minutes to navigate the unpaved road that leads to the Gila Cliff Dwellings and then it is a one mile (1.6 km) hike from the footbridge to the site. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument National Park Service

Mimbres Pottery From approx. 1000 - 1200 CE, Mimbres pottery was being produced in great numbers. The abstract plant, animal, and human designs on the pottery were the indicator of the Mimbres culture. Image of Mimbres Black-On-White Pottery Arizona State Museum via University of Arizona

The Jornada Mogollon Near modern El Paso, Texas lived a sub-group of the Mogollon known as the Jornada [HOR-na-da] Mogollon. They emerged around 600 CE and lived in small village sites that were mainly made up of below-ground pit houses. By 1200 CE, they had moved to above-ground apartment-blocktype dwellings. Like many Native American groups, they grew corn, squash, and beans. The main cultural and archaeological site that has been found is Hueco Tanks State Park near El Paso. Ritual masks, rock art, and various other material remains have been found at the site. The Jornada Mogollon left the El Paso area around 1400 CE. Find out more here: Hueco Tanks State Park Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Hunting, Gathering, and Agriculture The Mogollon grew corn and gathered various other plants such as pine nuts, rice grass, lily bulbs, walnuts, acorns, prickly pears, wild tomatoes [wolfberries], and sunflower seeds. They hunted deer, bison, turkeys, muskrats, and various other animals and birds in the Ancient Southwest.

Bibliography Internet: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument National Park Service Kopper, Philip. The Smithsonian Book of the North American Indians Before the Coming of the Europeans. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C. 1986

To comment on the cultures of the Ancient Soutwest, you can go to the Board found at the Ancient Pubelo Hood. Just click on the Southwestern plaque below. Plaque Courtesy of MacMorna Niafer

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