List of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings in New Mexico facts for kids
The Ancestral Puebloans were ancient people who lived in the Southwestern United States. They built amazing homes, often called pueblos, which means "villages" in Spanish. These homes were made from stone, adobe (a mix of clay and straw), and other natural materials. They often had many rooms and could be several stories high.
This page lists some of the most important Ancestral Puebloan dwellings found in New Mexico, United States. Many of these sites are now ruins, but some are still active communities where Pueblo people live today. These places teach us a lot about the history and culture of these early inhabitants.
Exploring Ancient Pueblo Homes in New Mexico
Many different groups of Pueblo people built homes across New Mexico. These dwellings come in various types, from large villages to homes built into cliffs. Some are still active communities, while others are ancient ruins that archaeologists study.
Famous Pueblo Sites
Here are some notable Ancestral Puebloan dwellings in New Mexico:
- Abó
- Pueblo People: Tiwa/Tompiro
- Nearest Town: Mountainair
- Description: These are important ruins found within the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.
- Acoma
- Pueblo People: Keres
- Description: Also known as "Sky City," Acoma is a very old and still active pueblo. It is a National Historic Landmark and a National Trust Historic Site. It's home to one of the 21 federally recognized Pueblos in the United States.
- Alameda
- Pueblo People: Tiwa
- Nearest Town: Bernalillo
- Type: Great House
- Description: These ruins are located where Alameda Elementary School is today. It was one of 12 pueblos built by the Tiwa people along the Rio Grande river.
- Apache Creek
- Pueblo People: Mogollon
- Nearest Town: Apache Creek
- Description: This site contains ruins with as many as 25 rooms.
- Arroyo Hondo
- Pueblo People: Tano
- Nearest Town: Galisteo
- Type: Great House
- Description: These ruins are in the Galisteo Basin. This large pueblo had 24 great houses with about 1200 rooms in total, some as tall as three stories. It also had eight plazas and at least eight kivas (special ceremonial rooms). The people here built an acequia system (an irrigation ditch) to bring water from a spring to their fields.
- Aztec Ruins
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Aztec
- Type: Great House
- Description: These ruins are a U.S. National Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are also part of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
- Bandelier
- Nearest Town: Los Alamos
- Description: This area is known for its ancient cliff dwellings and other ruins.
- Burnt Corn
- Pueblo People: Tano
- Nearest Town: Galisteo
- Type: Great House
- Description: Also called Burned Corn Pueblo, these ruins are in the Galisteo Basin. It had many great houses, possibly up to 20, surrounding a central plaza.
- Casa Chiquita
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great House
- Description: Known as "The Little Girl's House," these ruins are located in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
- Casamero Pueblo
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Prewitt
- Type: Great House
- Description: These ruins are easy to visit with informative signs. It's located north of Interstate 40.
- Casa Rinconada
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great Kiva
- Description: These ruins are found in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. A great kiva is a very large, circular ceremonial room.
- Chetro Ketl
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great House
- Description: The meaning of "Chetro Ketl" is not known today. These ruins are located in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
- Crumbled House
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Newcomb
- Type: Great house
- Description: This ruin was a large house with over 100 rooms. It was used between 1100 and 1250 AD.
- Gila
- Pueblo People: Mogollon
- Nearest Town: Silver City
- Type: Cliff Dwellings, Pit Houses
- Description: These ruins are homes built into natural caves or under rock overhangs.
- Gran Quivira
- Pueblo People: Tiwa
- Nearest Town: Mountainair
- Description: These ruins are part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.
- Hawikuh
- Pueblo People: Zuni
- Nearest Town: Zuni
- Description: These ruins are on the Zuni Indian Reservation and are a National Historic Landmark.
- Hungo Pavi
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great house
- Description: The meaning of "Hungo Pavi" is lost. It is an unexcavated (not yet dug up by archaeologists) great house in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. It has over 150 rooms, a great kiva, and an enclosed plaza.
- Isleta
- Pueblo People: Tiwa
- Nearest Town: South Valley
- Type: Great house
- Description: Isleta is an active pueblo with some ruins. It is home to one of the 21 federally recognized Pueblos.
- Jemez
- Pueblo People: Towa
- Nearest Town: Jemez Springs
- Type: Great house
- Description: Jemez is an active pueblo, known as the Walatowa. It is home to one of the 21 federally recognized Pueblos.
- Kin Kletso
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great House
- Description: This name means "Yellow House." These ruins are located in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
- Kin Klizhin
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great House
- Description: This name means "Black House." These ruins are on the western edge of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
- Kin Ya'a
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Type: Great House
- Description: This name means "Tall House." These ruins are south of Crownpoint. You can still see parts of the ancient Chacoan roads here.
- Kuaua
- Pueblo People: Tiwa
- Type: Village
- Description: This site was dug up by archaeologists in the 1930s. It is now the Coronado State Monument and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Laguna
- Pueblo People: Keres
- Type: Great house
- Description: Laguna is an active pueblo and home to one of the 21 federally recognized Pueblos.
- Pecos
- Pueblo People: Towa
- Nearest Town: Pecos
- Description: These ruins are now a National Historic Landmark.
- Peñasco Blanco
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Description: This name means "White Rock Point." These ruins are in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. It's unique because it's oval-shaped and has at least four great kivas.
- Pueblo Alto
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great House
- Description: This name means "High Town." These ruins are located in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
- Pueblo Bonito
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great House
- Description: This name means "Beautiful Town." These ruins are in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. This building was five stories tall and had at least 27 circular kivas.
- Pueblo del Arroyo
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great House
- Description: This name means "Town by the Arroyo" (a small stream). These ruins are in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, close to Pueblo Bonito. It was probably four stories high and had many kivas.
- Pueblo Galisteo
- Pueblo People: Tano
- Nearest Town: Galisteo
- Type: Great house
- Description: These ruins are in the Galisteo Basin. This pueblo had 47 rooms and was lived in until the 1700s.
- Pueblo Largo
- Pueblo People: Tano
- Nearest Town: Galisteo
- Type: Great house
- Description: These ruins are in the Galisteo Basin. It had eight rectangular great houses and was estimated to have more than 480 rooms. Many walls are still standing.
- Pintado
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: McKinley County
- Type: Great House
- Description: This name means "Painted Town." These ruins are part of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. It was an L-shaped building with two large wings and several kivas.
- Puye
- Nearest Town: Española
- Type: Cliff dwelling
- Description: These ruins are located in the Santa Clara Pueblo and are a National Historic Landmark.
- Quarai
- Pueblo People: Tiwa
- Nearest Town: Manzano
- Description: These ruins are part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.
- Salmon Ruins
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Bloomfield
- Type: Great House
- Description: These ruins are listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties and the National Register of Historic Places.
- San Cristobal
- Pueblo People: Tano
- Nearest Town: Galisteo
- Type: Great house
- Description: These ruins are in the Galisteo Basin. San Cristobal was once one of the largest pueblos in the Southwest, possibly four or five stories high with 600 rooms.
- San Lazaro
- Pueblo People: Tano
- Nearest Town: Santa Fe
- Type: Village
- Description: These ruins are in the Galisteo Basin and are a National Historic Landmark. It was a 450-room pueblo with a kiva, a plaza, and an irrigation system.
- San Marcos
- Pueblo People: Tano
- Nearest Town: Galisteo
- Type: Great house
- Description: These ruins are in the Galisteo Basin. San Marcos was an important trading center. It had great houses with over a hundred rooms around a central plaza with many kivas.
- Sandia
- Pueblo People: Tiwa
- Nearest Town: Albuquerque
- Description: Sandia is an active pueblo and home to one of the 21 federally recognized Pueblos.
- San Ildefonso
- Pueblo People: Tewa
- Type: Great house
- Description: San Ildefonso is an active pueblo and home to one of the 21 federally recognized Pueblos.
- Tijeras
- Nearest Town: Tijeras
- Type: Great house
- Description: These are ruins of an ancient pueblo.
- Tsankawi
- Nearest Town: White Rock
- Description: These ruins are located in the Bandelier National Monument.
- Tsin Kletzin
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great house
- Description: This name means "Black Wood Place." These ruins are in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. It was built in a special way to allow people to see at least six other great houses from its location.
- Tyuonyi
- Description: These ruins are located in the Bandelier National Monument.
- Una Vida
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great house
- Description: This name means "One Life." These unexcavated ruins are in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, very close to the visitor center.
- Wijiji
- Pueblo People: Ancestral Puebloan
- Nearest Town: Crownpoint
- Type: Great House
- Description: This name means "Black Greasewood." These ruins are located in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
- Zia
- Pueblo People: Keres
- Type: Great house
- Description: Zia is an active pueblo and home to one of the 21 federally recognized Pueblos.