Paleo-Indian 8,000 B. C. (10,000 years ago)
A woman who wandered off a trail at the Grand Canyon to find a private place to relieve herself, made a discovery that tells us that people were in the Grand Canyon 10,000 years ago. This one artifact that the woman stumbled onto was a portion of a projective point. Scientists call the people that made the point the Paleo-Indians. They were the first known humans to settle in the Grand Canyon region. Over time this culture evolved into the Archaic culture. Technology: Projective points. Food: Large game of the time.
The Archaic Culture - (Basketmaker I) - 6500 B.C. - 1 A.D.
These people dominated the area for over 6,000 years living among and hunting the megafauna of the time. These animals included the bison, mammoths, the stag moose, mastodons, giant beavers and huge ground sloth's. People of this era made split twig animal effigies from willow twigs and cottonwood. So many split twig figurines have been found (first in 1932) that they are no longer collected. The animal shaped figures have been dated to be 4,000 years old. They were preserved in the red wall limestone caves of the Grand Canyon. Arrowheads made by the Archaic cultures have been found on the rim as well as the inner canyon. Technology: Projective points, short distance spear. Food: The people moved around often to follow the megafauna that they hunted.
2500 - 3000 B.C
Technology: Cave sites, burial, rock art. Food: The first corn and squash were grown.
The Ancestral Puebloans or Ancient Pueblo (Anasazi)
More than 2,000 Ancestral Puebloan ruins have been found at the Grand Canyon. There is evidence that the Cohonino Indians lived downstream about the same time as the Ancestral Puebloans. Pictographs were also left behind, helping to put the pieces of the puzzle together to tell a whole story of the people that lived in the Grand Canyon long ago. This was a hunter - gather culture.
The Basketmaker II - 1 A.D. to 500 A.D.
The Ancestral Puebloans evolved and became more capable. Technology: During this era they became efficient at making detailed baskets and sandals from yucca leaves and they made pit house dwellings that were recessed into the ground. The atlatl dart was the weapon of the time. It was a wooden foreshaft with a folsom point. The spear was projected at high velocity giving a greater range than a thrown spear could. The point was hafted to the foreshaft with twine made of animal sinew. Food: The bones of earlier basketmaker's showed they lacked protein in their diets. It is thought their main food source was corn and squash, but they did hunt and gather also.
The Basketmaker's evolved - 500 A. D. to 900 A.D.
Technology: The Basketmaker's developed the bow and arrow. Food: Solving the problem of a lack of protein in their diets, this later group of Basketmaker's grew and consumed beans, a complete protein. The people began to live in established villages. Homes were pit houses or slab houses. The bow & arrow was used for hunting. Rock art has been found dating to this time period. The first flute player art was found. Towards the end of the period kivas were built, pottery began to replace baskets, cotton was used for cloth, large pueblos were built and the cradleboard was used for babies. The Pottery became more advanced toward the end of this period.
Some ranger talks are held at the Walhalla Overlook. The program includes a tour of an excavated ancestral Puebloans site. The nearby Cliff Springs Trail leads to an ancient granary, which is a great addition to this talk and tour.
The Pueblo Period - 900 A.D. - 1300 A.D.
As the people evolved, we call this culture the Pueblos. This culture lived in the Grand Canyon for at least 100 years before they migrated away from the area. They still lived in kivas, now homes above ground and there were villages. Technology: These people made decorated pottery that they used for carrying and storing water and as a safe storage for food and seeds. Food: They were farmers as well as hunters. More than one-hundred farm sites of the Ancestral Puebloan were found at Walhalla Glades at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. There were over 2,000 sites left behind at the Grand Canyon that have been studied to date. It is thought that the people came to the North Rim to farm and then returned back down into the canyon for the winter. Unkar Delta, an area along the water, seen from the Walhalla Point, seems to be the place where they lived. A granary, where they stored food can be seen on the short, Cliff Spring Trail, at the North Rim. These people lived in kivas, homes that were entered from the top. The remains of a kiva is found at Walhalla Overlook at the North Rim.
What happened to the Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi)?
Tens of thousands left their homes and moved to the Hopi mesas in northeastern Arizona and other locations in the Southwest. Why they left is a mystery. The thought, at one time, was that a drought caused them to leave. This theory is now questioned. The change in their dwellings to cliff dwellings appears to demonstrate the increased need for defense. Perhaps wars began. Perhaps the tension arose from the drought that last for so many years.
The Hopi
Modern Puebloan descendants of the Anasazi, including the Hopi have asked that the term Ancestral Puebloan be used instead of Anasazi. Anasazi in Navajo means "enemy ancestor" or "ancient people who are not us."
Directions to North Rim Grand Canyon: From Zion National Park, take on U-9 through the park to Mt. Carmel Jct. Turn south on US-89 to Kanab. There is only one stop light in Kanab; this is where US-89 changes to ALT 89. Fredonia, Arizona is 6 miles. In Fredonia take 89A to Jacob lake (36 miles), then take AZ 67 to the Grand Canyon North Rim park entrance.
Lodging and services are available on the gorgeous east side of Zion National Park, where guests are close to Zion National Park (12 miles), Bryce Canyon National Park (60 miles), Cedar Breaks National Monument (45 miles), Coral Pink Sand Dunes (12 miles), and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (85 miles). It's where city traffic is absent and the skies are bright and clean.
Other people who lived in the Grand Canyon
Cerbat Indians lived in the Grand Canyon after the Ancestral Puebloans and Cohonino left. The Paiute Indians arrived with the Cerbat, and lived along the North Rim. The Navajo were the last to arrive at the canyon and they lived in the area for 400 years. The next to live in the Grand Canyon area was the Freemont culture and until recently (100 years ago) there were the Southern Paiute's. Mormon settlers arrived in the Grand Canyon in the 1870s.
Directions to the Grand Canyon North Rim - From Zion National Park, travel SR-9 to Mt. Carmel Jct., then turn south on US-89 to Kanab. There is only one stop light in Kanab; this is where US-89 changes to SR-89A. Fredonia, Arizona is just a few miles away, across the Utah - Arizona border. Take SR-89A to Jacob lake (36 miles), then take SR-67 to the Grand Canyon North Rim park entrance.
North Rim Grand Canyon Location - The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is 85 miles from Mount Carmel Junction, which is located on the east side of Zion National Park. Many who visit the National Parks of Southern Utah add the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to their travel plans and those visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon often visit Zion National Park.
Mileage from
Mt. Carmel Jct.
Zion National Park 12
Bryce Canyon 60
Grand Canyon 85
Cedar Breaks 45
Grand Staircase 9
Dixie Forest 22
Sand Dunes 11
Coyote Butte 57
Red Canyon 47
Tuweep 90
Stay in the heart of the parks, Mount Carmel Junction, and visit the treasures of the Southwest and Utah.
This is my new favorite quote:
"I don't know who Mary Cisneros is, but I mean zionnational-park.com
It's a better site than the NPS's anyway."
Written by the authors of the book: Favorite Hikes in and around Zion National Park
Contact Mary to report errors:
The Archaic Culture - (Basketmaker I) - 6500 B.C. - 1 A.D.
