Tuzigoot: "Crooked Water" Ruins

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Between Sedona and Jerome Arizona, a small group of southern Sinagua people established their own community on the hilltops called Tuzigoot.  The name Tuzigoot is Apache for “crooked water”.  These ruins are located 20 miles from Montezuma’s Castle and built from the natural resources found in the surrounding desert.  The pueblos’ massive cobblestone walls were uneven two story dwellings, approximately 77 rooms in all.  Like the Montezuma tribe, they were highly skilled in constructing canals for irrigation, growing corn, beans, squash, and cotton.  Their communities also had many handmade tools, red-on-buff pottery and ball courts resembling Hohokam settlements.  With all their clever building techniques, the mystery still remains why the Sinagua suddenly disappeared in the 1400’s.  Some feel that they may have used up their natural resources or maybe a plague or disease wiped them out, but since there is no written record, no one knows.








Comments

  1. Sharon DayMay 9, 2011 at 8:17 AM

    I've never been to that one. I would love to walk around and feel it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Les BarrMay 9, 2011 at 8:20 AM

    Another informative Post. Never knew they existed. I'll just bet that Autumnforest could pick out something there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Julie FergusonMay 9, 2011 at 8:30 AM

    Sis, Tuzigoot is not far from Jerome. When we go there next month, we should take a quick trip to Tuzigoot and see what you pick up while walking around.

    Les, I love finding these interesting places and sharing the info with everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  4. DocStoutMay 9, 2011 at 2:00 PM

    I particularly like the interior shot (6th from the top) at these ruins. I've been to quite a few mesoamerican ruined sites, but nothing quite like what you've got here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Julie FergusonMay 9, 2011 at 3:46 PM

    DocStout; I am amazed by the construction of these places and how they lived. The places are pretty solid.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Angry LurkerMay 10, 2011 at 11:19 AM

    Beautiful pictures of a stunning place.

    ReplyDelete

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