Manuelito Complex facts for kids
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Manuelito Complex
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Manuelito Canyon Historic District as viewed from Route 66
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| Nearest city | Manuelito, New Mexico |
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| Area | 6,560 acres (2,650 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000894 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 19, 1964 |
The Manuelito Complex, also known as the Manuelito Canyon Historic District, is a special group of ancient places in western New Mexico. It is found in and around Manuelito Canyon, between the towns of Gallup, New Mexico and Lupton, Arizona. This area holds many important ruins left behind by the Ancestral Puebloans, an ancient people. Experts believe people lived here from about 700 AD to 1350 AD. Because of its historical importance, this area was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
Exploring the Manuelito Canyon Sites
Manuelito Canyon stretches southeast from Interstate 40, west of Gallup. The local Navajo people have known about these ancient ruins for a very long time. However, archaeologists, who study old human history, only started paying close attention in the 1930s.
At one point, people thought about making the area a National Monument to protect it. But this plan never happened. Even though the area has been looked at several times, it hasn't been fully explored by archaeologists.
Discovering Ancient Buildings
One of the biggest and most interesting parts of the Manuelito Complex is a large stone building called the "Big House." It had about 500 rooms and multiple stories! People likely lived there between 1200 AD and 1325 AD.
Another important site is "Atsee Nitsa." This smaller place has about 150 rooms. It is thought to have been used from 1150 AD to 1250 AD.
Life in Manuelito Canyon
The main time people lived in Manuelito Canyon was during the Pueblo III Period. This period lasted from about 1150 AD to 1300 AD. Before this time, the settlements in the canyon were smaller and spread out.
Around the mid-12th century, a major culture in Chaco Canyon began to decline. Because of this, other places like Manuelito Canyon saw more people moving in. The buildings constructed during this time were mostly homes, not ceremonial places. Both the Big House and Atsee Nitsa are examples of these homes.
However, there is one interesting exception. A great house called Kin Hocho'i in the canyon has a large ceremonial kiva. A kiva is a special room used for religious ceremonies. But this site only has about 20 living rooms, which is unusual for such a large ceremonial space.
