Woods Canyon Pueblo

Life on the Edge

Even though they lived hundreds of years ago, the ancient Pueblo people needed the same things to live that people need today. They had to have food, shelter, water, clothing, and tools. They couldn't go to a supermarket for all these things; they had to know how to gather supplies from their natural environment. Today, some people continue to learn and use these ancient techniques.

Peter Pino is from Zia Pueblo, and he is a traditional craftsman.

Click on Peter's photograph to learn about his perspective on the importance of traditional technology.

Woods Canyon Pueblo is in a good location for collecting natural resources. Layers of hard, dense stone between the softer sandstone strata in the canyon provide the raw materials for making a wide variety of tools such as hammers, axes, and arrowheads. The sandstone cliffs yield stone that can be used to construct walls and buildings. The mesa tops provide good soil for farming, and there are natural springs in the canyon bottom. The varied terrain supports many different plant and animal species.

From the artifacts found at Woods Canyon Pueblo, we know that the ancient Pueblo people were experts at using the many natural resources in the area.

Scott Ortman studies the artifacts from sites excavated by Crow Canyon.

Click on Scott's photograph to read what he learned about the artifacts from Woods Canyon Pueblo.

Did Pueblo people choose to live on the edge of Woods Canyon because it provided them with the natural resources they needed?

Explore all five theories, then select which theory you think best explains why Pueblo people lived at Woods Canyon Pueblo.