Big Bead Mesa facts for kids
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Big Bead Mesa
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| Nearest city | Grants, New Mexico |
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| Area | 160 acres (65 ha) |
| Built | 1700 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000958 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 19, 1964 |
Big Bead Mesa (Navajo: Yooʼtsoh) is a very old Navajo village site in New Mexico. It's found near a town called Grants, New Mexico, inside the Cibola National Forest. This special place was lived in from the mid-1700s to the early 1800s. It helps us understand a lot about how the Navajo people lived and interacted with the Puebloans back then. Scientists first explored it in 1939, and it became a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
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Exploring Big Bead Mesa
Big Bead Mesa is located in a quiet, distant area of New Mexico. It sits between the towns of Grants, New Mexico and Jemez Pueblo. This spot is northwest of the city of Albuquerque.
What's in a Name?
The main parts of the site are found along the northeastern edge of a large, flat-topped hill called a mesa. This mesa stretches northeast from Grants and includes a mountain called Mount Taylor. The name "Big Bead Mesa" comes from tiny, fossilized beads. Local Navajo people found many of these beads at the base of the mesa.
Life in the Ancient Village
Big Bead Mesa was a large, protected village. About 90 hogan sites have been found there. A hogan is a traditional Navajo home, often made of logs and earth. The village spreads out along two parts of the mesa. These parts are separated by many deep, narrow valleys called arroyos.
Village Layout and Buildings
The hogans are grouped together in small clusters. Each group also has other buildings nearby. These include sweat lodges, places to store food, and strong walls for protection. In two spots, there are open areas. Experts believe these were dance grounds used for special ceremonies.
Fortifications and Protection
The village had strong defenses. There's a long wall that almost cuts off one part of the settlement. This wall helped protect the people living there. Getting to the area below the mesa rim was possible, but it probably needed ladders. This made the village very safe from attacks.
The Navajo people lived at Big Bead Mesa from about 1745 to 1812. During this time, they were often allies with the Apache people. The strong design of the village showed its power to nearby Jemez and Acoma Puebloan settlements. This site is very important for understanding how the Navajo people moved around. It also shows how they related to other tribes in the area long ago.
