Gila Cliff Dwellings (core archeological area)

E93200

Gila Cliff Dwellings (core archeological area) is a pre-Columbian Mogollon cliff dwelling complex in southwestern New Mexico, notable for its well-preserved stone and masonry structures built into natural caves.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf archaeological site
cliff dwelling complex
pre-Columbian site
access hiking trail from visitor center
approximateConstructionDate late 13th century CE
approximateNumberOfRooms 40
approximateOccupationEnd circa 1300 CE
approximateOccupationStart circa 1275 CE
archaeologicalEvidence botanical remains
ceramic sherds
domestic artifacts
stone tools
associatedWith Mimbres branch of Mogollon culture
builtInto natural caves
climateContext semi-arid mountain environment
constructionMaterial masonry
stone
country United States of America
elevation approximately 1760 meters above sea level
function ceremonial center
residential settlement
storage and food processing area
hasPart kiva-like ceremonial rooms
living quarters
multi-room masonry dwellings
storage rooms
heritageCulture Ancestral Puebloan-related traditions
Mogollon culture
legalProtection protected as part of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
locatedIn Grant County, New Mexico
southwestern New Mexico
locatedInProtectedArea Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Gila National Forest NERFINISHED
locatedInValleyOf Gila River NERFINISHED
locatedNear confluence of the West Fork and Middle Fork of the Gila River
managingOrganization National Park Service
numberOfCavesUsed 6
orientation caves open primarily to the south
preservationStatus intact room outlines
visible plaster and soot deposits
well-preserved masonry architecture
researchUse archaeological investigations of Mogollon lifeways
roofingTechnique timber and brush roofs over masonry walls
significance important example of Mogollon cliff architecture
key site for understanding pre-Columbian occupation of the upper Gila region
notable for integration of masonry structures with natural cave morphology
timePeriod Late Mogollon period
tourism open to public visitation with controlled access
wallConstruction stone masonry with mud mortar

Referenced by (4)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
National Historic Landmarks in New Mexico
contains
New Mexico ("Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument")
hasNationalHistoricalPark
Gila Cliff Dwellings (core archeological area) ("Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument")
locatedInProtectedArea
Mogollon culture ("Gila Cliff Dwellings")
majorSite

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