Home of the Ancient

The Verde Valley of Yavapai county in Central Arizona is a most colorful area, and it is quite fitting that one of the most colorful and spectacular of all the prehistoric dwelling should be located in this setting of great scenic beauty. There is archaeological evidence that tribes of Indians were living in the Verde Valley over a thousand years ago, and of the numerous prehistoric ruins in this area none can compare with the beauty of Montezuma Castle, now a national monument, under supervision and protection of the National Park Service. Spectacularly situated high in a recess of a limestone cliff, five miles north of Camp Verde, Montezuma Castle is the abandoned home of a tribe of Indians whose disappearance from this area is more a matter of conjecture than of factual evidence.

The cliff dwelling is situated, with its foundation, nearly fifty feet above the cliff base, and is forty feet high. The five-story structure consists principally of twenty rooms. An elaborate balcony fronts the upper story from which an unobstructed view of the countryside made Montezuma Castle an advantageous site.

Montezuma Castle is considered the best example of prehistoric cliff dwelling in the Southwest, and due to the protection afforded by the overhanging cliff ledge, it remains the best preserved example in the United States.

How long ago this unusual combination fortress and apartment house was built and when it was deserted is not positively known, although archaeologists place the probable time of its construction at about eight hundred years ago and the time of its abandonment some three hundred years later.

From whence these little known people came is hidden in the dim past. Where they went, and why, is more or less conjectural, also. From evidence uncovered at the site, however, it appears they were a short stockily-built type of Indian who practiced irrigation, raising principally corn; made tools of stone and bone, made plain and for the most part crudely decorated pottery, in contrast to elaborately decorated cotton cloth. These Indians also made excellent turquoise and shell jewelry, sturdily constructed baskets and other objects. From all appearances, they just left, scattered here and there perhaps intermarrying and becoming absorbed into other tribes of which present-day Indians may be descendants-presumably the Hopi, considering their similar stature and other characteristics. Of course, these people had enemies who strove to steal their crops and to kill them, and it is entirely possible that these foes finally overcame them to a point where they became discouraged, and deserted Montezuma Castle and other dwellings in the area.

Montezuma Castle was not constructed all at one time, close observation reveals, but was built in several distinct stages. Near the castle also are many smaller structures of from one to four or five rooms. From the various types of construction, it appears that each group built its own series of rooms, adding on here and there with no general plan in view, although the structure proper, as it stands today, has a balance of architectural completeness. It is thought a maximum of 300 persons may well have occupied the several house clusters, and the Castle itself could have accommodated possibly 50 people.

Access to Montezuma Castle is by a series of strongly constructed ladders placed there by the federal government. The original dwellers must have gained admittance by rope ladders made of twisted yucca and cotton strands. In case of attack the rope ladders could be pulled up out of reach, making the dwelling inaccessible to assailants, due to the almost vertical cliff wall.

The first story of this prehistoric apartment consists of eight rooms of different sizes and shapes which stretch horizontally along the ledge-like bottom of the recess. Ascending stories gradually decreased the number of rooms up to the fifth story, which has only a plaza and two rooms, buttressed by a parapet. The walls, except the back sides of the rear room where the cliff served the purpose, were made of adobe brought up from the valley laid brick-like and mortared with mud cement. The finger prints of the original masons show plainly in many places throughout the structure. Only one inscription, of very unusual design, is found on the walls of the castle.

The building was raised in the usual pueblo manner by placing heavy sycamore beams across the top walls of the lower story, crossing these with reeds and small sticks and plastering them with a thick layer of adobe thus forming a floor for the story above. In some of the rooms the reeds appear to have been left exposed purposely to effect ceiling decorations. Most of the doorways are low, the T-shaped openings typical of almost all prehistoric structures. The reason for entrances of this type was for protection against invasion should an enemy reach the dwelling. To enter, it would be necessary to stoop, and in so doing, there would be an opportunity to club intruders.

Montezuma Castle was established as a national monument in 1906 and is under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior. Park Service rangers and a custodian are stationed at the site to conduct visitors through the ruins and to explain its history as pieced together by evidences found there. This splendid example of prehistoric architecture forms a priceless heritage for which every citizen should exert his influence to see that it is left to future generations in all of its perfection. Incidentally, the castle is about 90 per cent intact and original at the present.

Near the castle is a museum containing artifacts retrieved from the ruins artifacts of great archaeological and ethnologic interest. On the 160-acre monument are fine shade trees where visitors may picnic and rest. Facing the great dwelling are benches under the trees where one may sit, gaze up at the magnificant structure and ponder over the wonder of it all.

Montezuma Castle may be reached from numerous points. It is five miles north of Camp Verde, 70 miles south of Flagstaff, 50 miles east of Prescott, and about 165 miles north of Phoenix.

Montezuma Well is located a few miles northeast of Montezuma Castle, on an isolated mesa above Beaver Creek. It is one of Arizona's most notable phenomena. This huge cup-shaped, crater-like depression is nearly 800 feet across. In it stands a pool of clear fresh water, always at the same level, nearly 100 feet below its brink. The depth has never been determined, although it has been sounded to 800 feet.

Montezuma Well, like Montezuma Castle, was probably named after the ancient chief of the Aztec tribe in Old Mexico. According to legend, Cortez discovered the well on one of his expeditions into Arizona. In fact, he has it located on a map made of sheepskin which is preserved in the National Museum in Mexico City. The first known American to discover the well was Wales Arnold, in the year 1863.

The pool is formed by a constant and uniform inflow of subterranean thermal springs. The temperature of the water never varies, winter or summer, regardless of atmospheric conditions. It is always 78 degrees. The water bubbles up in the center of the pool and gushes through an opening in the cliffs to the south, emptying into Beaver Creek at the rate of nearly two million gallons every 24 hours.

The walls of Montezuma Well are built up with a travertine deposit on sea-weed, that resembles coral. In many places are found the perfect imprint of tree leaves in the rocks.

Several cliff dwellings are found in the inner recesses of the upper portions of the bowl. The front and side walls of these houses are built of various sized stones, and chinked with mud. The overhanging ledge forms a natural roof while the contour of the cliff forms the back walls. The doorways, as in nearly all ancient dwellings, were small and low, an appropriate feature in case of attack.

In the crevices of these cliffs are found many burials, some yet unexcavated. On the west rim, 17 baby burial vaults have been opened. The vaults were built of masonry and covered with flat stones. In 1933 a stone vault was discovered just west of the well. Since that time over a score of these vaults have been opened, and more than 100 adult skeletons have been taken out. With the burials were fine specimens of pottery and numerous artifacts.

In opening the adult burial vaults a most unusual discovery was made, differing from anything yet found in cliff dweller work. These vaults are about four feet deep, cut in soft limestone and sealed with flat flagstone. About four feet of dirt has been washed over them since they were made. The bodies were placed in each vault with the head to the north. As many as seven skeletons have been taken from a single vault, together with 21 pieces of pottery buried with them. Many of these skeletons were green with copper, supposedly used as a preservative.

In the west wall of the well is a large natural cave that probably would accommodate 200 persons. The cliff-dwellers had taken advantage of this cavern, in which there is a natural spring of water, and built dwellings inside it. The floor on one of these cave dwellings was raised and baskets, mummy cloth, sandals made from yucca fiber, tomahawk handles, and a head mat were found.

A few years ago, near the underground cave, two large flat painted sandstone rocks were discovered. The colors were orange, red and gray. One of them has a perfect circle cut in the center, about two inches in diameter. These specimens are considered unique in prehistoric artifacts.

Montezuma Well is formed by an inflow of subterranean springs. The water temperature is always at 78 degrees, the water level never varies.

Close to the well are ancient irrigation ditches which appear to have been lined with a cement. Originally they were plain dirt canals, a few feet wide and deep. The water from the well, being 30 per cent alkaline, carried an abundance of lime, or travertine, and had run through the ditches long enough to deposit a 20-inch stone wall on the sides and bottoms. The Geology Department of Stanford University has estimated the age of the canals as well as the dwellings at about 1200 years. It is considered possible and not altogether improbable, that there was a close association with the dwellers at Montezuma Well and Monte-zuma Castle. Perhaps they were of the same tribe.

Several cliff dwellings, built of various sized stones, and chinked with mud, are in the inner recesses of the bowl at Montezuma Well.