Palatki Heritage Site facts for kids
The Palatki Heritage Site is a really cool ancient place found in the Coconino National Forest, close to Sedona, in Arizona, USA. In the Hopi language, Palatki means 'red house'. It's a special spot where you can see homes built into cliffs and amazing ancient rock art!
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Discovering Ancient Homes: The Palatki Cliff Dwellings
The Palatki site has a set of old homes built right into the red sandstone cliffs. These homes were made by the Sinagua people between about 1100 and 1400 CE. The Sinagua were an ancient group of people, part of the Ancestral Puebloans.
They built their homes under rocky overhangs that faced south. This was smart because it gave them shelter and lots of sun in the winter to keep warm. The Sinagua people also grew crops and made pottery in this area. Palatki and another nearby site called Honanki had some of the biggest cliff homes in the Red Rock area from 1150 to 1300 CE.
Palatki actually has two separate groups of homes, called pueblos. This might mean that two different families or groups of relatives lived here, one in each pueblo. Some experts think the circular shield-like pictures above the eastern pueblo might have been a symbol for a family or clan.
Ancient Art on Rocks: Pictographs and Petroglyphs
At the Palatki site, you can find amazing rock art, including both pictographs and petroglyphs. Some of this art is even older than the cliff homes themselves! Many of the pictographs (paintings on rock walls) were made by the Sinagua people.
However, some of the more abstract symbols and drawings are much older. These were created by people from the Archaic period in North America, possibly 3,000 to 6,000 years ago. Some of the petroglyphs (carvings into rocks) are thought to be even older, perhaps 5,000 to 6,000 years old! It's important to protect these ancient artworks so everyone can enjoy them for years to come.
Visiting Palatki: What to Expect
The Palatki Heritage Site is open for visitors every day of the week, from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM. You can only explore the site with a guide on a tour. The last tour starts at 2:00 PM. You'll need to reserve your tour ahead of time at Recreation.gov.
There are two main paths at the park. One path takes you to see the Sinagua cliff dwellings. The second path leads you to view the incredible pictographs and petroglyphs. The tour includes both areas, and the total walking distance is about 1 mile. Please note that the trails are not easy for wheelchairs or strollers. You will also need to buy a Red Rock Parking Pass to enter the park.
Gallery
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See the Sinagua cliff dwellings up close.
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Ancient cave pictographs painted on the rock.
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This cave pictograph shows where the sun was during summer and winter solstices.
