Poshuouinge facts for kids
Poshuouinge (pronounced "poe-shoo-wing-ay") is a large ancient Pueblo ruin in New Mexico. It is located near Abiquiu, about 2.5 miles south of the town. This site was built by the ancestors of today's Tewa Pueblo people. These people now live in places like Santa Clara Pueblo and Ohkay Owingeh.
Some people call Poshuouinge the "Turquoise Ruin." However, there is no proof that turquoise was ever found there. Poshuouinge is also about 3 miles west of another old Tewa Pueblo site called Tsama.
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Where is Poshuouinge Located?
Poshuouinge was built on a high flat-topped hill, called a mesa. This mesa is about 150 feet above the Chama River. The city was built around the year 1400.
Two natural springs are located about 500 feet south of the ruins. These springs were likely the main source of water for the people living there. You can reach Poshuouinge by following a special trail from the USDA Forest Service.
How Big Was the Ancient City?
At its largest, Poshuouinge had about 700 rooms on the ground floor. Many of these buildings were two or even three stories tall. The city was designed with two main open areas, called plazas.
There was also a large kiva near the center of the eastern plaza. A kiva is a special room used for ceremonies and gatherings. The areas where dirt was dug out, called barrow pits, were used for planting. They had small stone grids in them.
The History of Poshuouinge
Experts believe people lived in Poshuouinge between 1375 and 1475. The site was left empty around the year 1500. This was before Coronado and the first Europeans arrived in the area.
It is thought that the people who lived here moved away from the Chama River. They likely moved closer to the Rio Grande. Their descendants, the Tewa Pueblo people, still live in that area today.
Archaeological Discoveries at Poshuouinge
Archaeologists are scientists who study old human history. Adolph Bandelier was one of the first to dig at Poshuouinge in 1885.
Later, in 1919, J. A. Jeancon and his Tewa workers also excavated the site. They found ancient war axes called tzii-wi. Jeancon also studied the special shrines at Poshuouinge. He thought they showed a "world quarter system," similar to what was used at Ohkay Owingeh.
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