Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

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Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Overview of the largest cliff dwellings
Overview of the largest cliff dwellings
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (USA)
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Coordinates: 33 ° 13 '36.9 "  N , 108 ° 15' 18.9"  W.
Location: New Mexico , United States
Next city: Silver City (New Mexico)
Surface: 2.2 km²
Founding: November 16, 1907
Entrance to a cliff dwellings
Entrance to a cliff dwellings
Inside view of a cliff dwell
Inside view of a cliff dwell
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Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (pronounced: Hi: la) is an American national monument and is located in the US state of New Mexico about 70 km north of the city of Silver City on New Mexico State Highway 15. The national monument houses and protects, among other things, the remains of Cave structures ( cliff dwellings ) of the Mogollon culture , who lived in these structures from the 13th century to the beginning of the 14th century.

Early history

Members of the Mogollon culture settled in the area of ​​today's national monument from around the end of the 1st century. The Mogollon were a sedentary people who made their livelihood by hunting and gathering as well as growing grain and beans.

The earliest structure that could be detected in the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is a so-called pit house ( earth house ), the construction of which falls at this time. The building was in open terrain, was circular and was characterized by the fact that the floor was below the surrounding ground level. At that time, the Mogollon were already making simple pottery .

Structures from a later period can also be identified in the national monument. In the period around the year 1000, the Mogollon built rectangular structures which, in contrast to earlier objects, were erected completely above ground level. Most of these objects were solid, masonry structures, only a small part still consisted of braided branches. The production of white pottery with black elements was characteristic of this epoch .

Cliff Dwellings

From around the 13th century, the Pueblo era began in the area of ​​today's national monument for the Mogollon. Although there are also remains of the classic Pueblo architecture in the park , the Cliff Dwellings are the central form of settlement of this time. These cave structures are at the same time the namesake and main attraction of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.

Five large caves, high in the rocks of a side canyon of the West Fork Gila River, formed the natural basis for the construction of these impressive structures. A total of about 40 rooms were created in these caves. The walls of the buildings were made of stones from the immediate vicinity, the wood used was dated to around 1270.

It is estimated that around 10 to 15 families use these structures for about a generation . Little is known about the end of the Mogollon culture. The residents left the Cliff Dwellings in the early 14th century. Why they went and where to go remains a matter of debate. A widely accepted theory is that they mixed with other Pueblo peoples of the American Southwest and ceased to exist as a separate culture.

The time after the Mogollon

After the Cliff Dwellings were abandoned by their residents, the area of ​​what is now the National Monument was uninhabited for several years. However, nomadic groups of Apaches soon began to make their home in the area. Later, Spanish settlers also invaded the area from the south and settled mainly in the south and east of today's park.

On December 30, 1853, acquired United States as part of the Gadsden Purchase ( Gadsden Purchase ) an area of 77,700 square kilometers of Mexico . This agreement was made between James Gadsden , Minister for Relations with Mexico, and Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna . This marked the beginning of the American settlement of this area. When tensions with the local Apaches arose due to the influx of more and more settlers ( homesteaders ), a military camp was set up in the nearby Gila Hot Springs to protect the settlers.

The National Monument

On November 16, 1907, an area of ​​approximately 216 hectares around the cave structures was dedicated as the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument . The National Monument is the only national facility in the United States that houses remnants of the Mogollon culture. The park maintains a visitor center that offers information material and contains a small museum with a bookshop.

The Cliff Dwellings are located along a 1.6 km long footpath and are 55 m above the valley floor. The beginning of the footpath ( trailhead ) is a few kilometers from the visitor center and can be reached by vehicle.

The National Monument borders directly on the Gila Wilderness Area , the first sanctuary of its kind in the United States. A wilderness area is generally under special protection and must not contain any evidence of human interference (roads, structures).

Web links

Commons : Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument  - Collection of Images, Videos, and Audio Files