December 13, 2016

New Evidence on the End of the Montezuma Castle site in Arizona

New evidence at Montezuma Castle, inhabited by the Southern Sinagua culture at 1100 CE-1300 CE, shows the final days of the cliff site may have been violent. 80 years ago, archaeologists found evidence of massive fires in both structures at the site. Building A at the site was found to have been burned between 1375-1395. Jeddito Yellow and Jeddito White pottery was being made right up to the end. A new examination of four dead from the site shows cut marks on their bones, burn marks and three skulls were fractured. Their bones were burned while they were still alive. It appears that the site was burned suddenly as part of a violent attack. The Native American oral histories of this event match the new findings.

The findings are published in the journal Kiva.
Guebard, M. (2016). During the Migration Time: Oral History, Violence, and Identity in the Prehistoric Verde Valley KIVA, 82 (3), 259-277 DOI: 10.1080/00231940.2016.1208632

Western Digs has the report here;
http://westerndigs.org/new-evidence-reveals-violent-final-days-at-arizonas-montezuma-castle/

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