America’s mysterious ancient castle, built into a cliff
In the niche of the high, rising limestone cliff, a giant house made of mud and stone seems to be accessible from the base of the valley.
But calling Montezuma Castle thinks that a house is a bit. The residence of this 20-room, five-storey cliff once hosted a small community-but disappeared before the written records of the South-West United States. For about three hundred years, it belonged to a Indian group who disappeared without leaving their names.
Visiting Montezuma Castle in Verde Valley of Arizona is an exercise on curiosity, mystery and intrigue. A place that triggers a thousand questions, very few of the answers safely cut.
The name does not help. It is not really a castle and has nothing to do with the Aztec Emperor. It came from the 19th century explorers, which were a little obsessed with the Aztecs and gave a mesoameric civilization loan.
Instead, the Castle of Montezuma was later created by a group known as the people of Sinagua. Again, this name comes from a well-intentioned stranger-Harold Colton, the founder of the North Arizona Museum. Spanish explorers took the name of San Francisco Peaks – “La Sierra Sin Agua” – to the north.
No Native American group went with this name, and no neighboring Indian group referred to the builders of Montezuma Castle as Sinagua. In addition, when they suddenly left Verde Valley in about 1425, there is no certain evidence of what happened to Sinagua. However, some clans among the people of Hopi see them as ancestors who decide to move further to the Hopi region.
What we know is that Montezuma Castle was built at the stages between the 1130s and the early 1400s. Tree trunks sticking from the cliff were clearly used as a beam to support the structure, and access has come with a staircase for a long time.
It is believed that each family is their own room and that the community is strong. However, there was only one settlement in the Valley Village series of about 40 Vers. It is believed that 6000 to 8000 people live here.
When walking along the 550 -meter loop trail, why is it as fascinating as to whom. Why should you build houses on the rock in the first place?
Museum -like exhibitions at the Visitor Center offer some explanations. Riding into the cliff, less construction materials were needed for walls and roofs, while the south -facing position meant that the sun was heated in winter, while the summer heat was shaded.
There was also a matter of land. Having a host on the cliff meant that there was more soil for corn, zucchini and cotton, which was traded by Beaver Creek with other tribes for hundreds of kilometers.
But why is it convincingly, without a specific answer, the suddenly separated and disappearance of the builders of Montezuma Castle. Drought and other Indian groups include muscles to the nearby region, especially by the people of Yavapai.
Hopi clans, called Sinagua as ancestors, believe that religious reasons are behind separation. There is also the possibility that Sinagua will unite to Yavapai and Apache groups.
Not knowing is part of the charm of the Montezuma Castle National Monument. Looking at the extremely well preserved orange complex on the cliff face makes the brain Whirr. Before the Europeans came to the scene, a microbe came, developed and disappeared, but left behind a very striking remnant, begging visitors to discover more.
Details
Visit
The site is a 90 -minute drive from Phoenix or 35 minutes south of Sedona. The Montezuma Castle National Monument is managed by the National Park Service and the input costs $ 10 ($ 15). To see nps.gov
Fly
United, from Melbourne and Sydney to Phoenix, replaces planes in Los Angeles by offering one -hand flights. To see United.com
To stay
The rooms, including rooms, taxes and holiday fees in El Poco Diablo Resort, directed by Red Rock in Sedona, only cost $ 179. To see poodiablo.com
The author was the guest of Arizona Tourism Office. To see Visitarizona.com
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David Whitley is a writer in Sheffield, England and makes his mission to meet Australia as much as possible. It has a taste for unusual experiences and oddities with a great story behind them. As long as David is concerned, happiness, a city full of history and a big journey in the middle of any place continues punishing distances. He is also the only person who goes to Lihtenşiste and Cook Islands the same week.
